Cadillac
GM establishes F1 power unit company, appoints CEO
General Motors has established a new company that will develop and manufacture its future Formula 1 power unit for the Cadillac F1 team, and named Russ O’Blenes as its CEO.
GM will enter F1 under the Cadillac name in 2026, utilizing Ferrari power units for its initial program until its own power unit is ready to race. A power unit facility is currently being built in Charlotte, North Carolina and is planned to open in 2026. GM has set a target of becoming a full works team by the end of the decade.
In establishing GM Performance Power Units LLC in partnership with TWG Motorsports – TWG Global’s racing division, which is part of the F1 project – GM has announced that O’Blenes will oversee the new company, moving from his current position of director of GM’s motorsports propulsion and performance team.
“I am truly excited to have the opportunity to build and lead the team that will bring an American built F1 power unit to the grid,” O’Blenes said. “GM PPU is currently ramping up its team and is hiring in all areas of the business.”
The announcement of O’Blenes’ role is the second leadership role confirmed since the start of December, following on from Graeme Lowdon’s as team principal during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.
“We’re delighted to welcome Russ to this pivotal role,” TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss said. “His expertise and leadership will be instrumental as we lay the foundation for Cadillac’s Formula 1 journey. Together with team principal Graeme Lowdon, they will lead the team in setting new standards of performance and innovation in the sport.”
O’Blenes’ past experience includes having overseen development of engines in IMSA, and he is also credited with leading the development of the GM Performance and Racing Center in Pontiac, Michigan.
“Russ brings vast experience from many championship racing series, and has outstanding technical expertise, including spearheading our hybrid IMSA Cadillac and Corvette C8.R engines that are proven winners,” GM president Mark Reuss said. “In F1, we’re going to demonstrate GM’s engineering and technology capabilities on a global stage, and Russ is the right choice to lead the power unit team that will make it happen.”
GM also says the development and testing of the F1 power unit has already begun; the company stating it will help advance the wider group’s engineering knowledge.
Chris Medland
While studying Sports Journalism at the University of Central Lancashire, Chris managed to talk his way into working at the British Grand Prix in 2008 and was retained for three years before joining ESPN F1 as Assistant Editor. After three further years at ESPN, a spell as F1 Editor at Crash Media Group was followed by the major task of launching F1i.com’s English-language website and running it as Editor. Present at every race since the start of 2014, he has continued building his freelance portfolio, working with international titles. As well as writing for RACER, his broadcast work includes television appearances on F1 TV and as a presenter and reporter on North America's live radio coverage on SiriusXM.
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