Car giant General Motors looks set to become the 11th team in Formula One – as early as 2026.
The company, which was part of motorsport legend Michael Andretti’s failed entry bid earlier this year, look to be closing in on an agreement with Formula One Management (FOM) to secure a spot in the sport.
They would become the first new entrant in 10 years, following fellow American outfit Haas, which joined the sport in 2016.
But how have new teams fared when joining the shark tank with the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes?
Of the last 10 teams to enter F1, only two are still operating to this day. Haas are heading into season 10 of their stay, while Stewart have morphed into the all-conquering Red Bull outfit.
Most of these were before the millennium where regulation on who could race was a lot looser. Even more recent teams have struggled to stay afloat though and have often changed identity and sold up in order to stay on the grid.
The current 10 F1 teams, how many iterations of them there has been and how many years they lasted
Others haven’t been a successful as Haas however. Toyota, Marussia, Virgin and Super Aguiri are just some of the names to come and go this century, each achieving varying levels of success.
Toyota is known to have spent over $450 million on their F1 adventure, but after a brief stint of minor success in early 2009, were gone not long after.
All the others to have joined bar Toyota haven’t even seen the podium, proving even after the arduous task of maintaining a place on the grid, it’s an even steeper mountain to be successful.
Of the 172 constructors to enter a Formula One Grand Prix, only 38 of them have crossed the line first and taken victory, just over 22%.
Number of constructors who have managed to win in F1
The newer and stricter criteria for an entry bid should mean the GM team are at least competitive.
With the backing of such a large organisation behind them, and a proposed works engine from 2028 onwards, they could be the first new team to make serious waves in the sport in a long time.
