Cadillac, backed by General Motors (GM), recently received confirmation of its entry into F1 starting in 2026. While the announcement brought excitement for fans eager to see new teams on the grid, it has raised concerns about a possible conflict of interest involving FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Veteran F1 journalist Joe Saward has drawn attention to a potential link between Ben Sulayem’s family and General Motors, raising questions about the fairness of the process that allowed Cadillac to join the sport as reported by F1 Maximaal.
Per the report, Saward uncovered this link through Ben Sulayem’s brother, Ahmed Bin Sulayem, who runs DP World, a company specializing in global automotive supply chains. According to Saward, DP World has collaborated with General Motors on export programs since 1963.
F1 and General Motors announce ‘agreement in principle’ for Cadillac to join grid as 11th team in 2026 ️
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 25, 2024
“It is clear that GM is important to the Bin Sulayem family,” Saward was quoted. However, he was quick to clarify that these ties alone are not inherently problematic. “It would only be a problem if there were any indications that the selection process for a new F1 team linked to GM was somehow unfair,” he explained.
The report also said that an FIA representative confronted Saward and dismissed these claims of favoritism and any conflict of interest, but did not provide a detailed explanation to counter the concerns raised.
The FIA was always in favor of the Andretti-Cadillac team
The FIA’s support for the Andretti-Cadillac bid has been evident from the start. When the Formula One Management (FOM) initially rejected the bid, Ben Sulayem personally criticized the FOM for its reluctance to welcome a new team.
This persistence ultimately paved the way for Cadillac‘s successful entry for 2026. However, questions about the fairness of the FIA’s decision-making process linger, especially in light of the rejection of other prospective teams.
One notable example is Hitech GP, a team with significant experience in F1’s feeder series. Despite their strong racing pedigree, Hitech’s bid was denied, further fueling Saward’s suspicions about potential favoritism towards Cadillac.
| Hitech GP has announced it has made an official application to enter the Formula 1 Championship in 2026.
Hitech has also sold 25% of its group to a Kazakh buisnessman, Vladimir Kim.
According to Forbes, Kim has a net worth of approximately $4.6 billlion.#F1 pic.twitter.com/tcSQE9BO6U
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) June 26, 2023
Interestingly, Cadillac’s approval without the attached Andretti name suggests that FOM’s issue was never with the car manufacturer or the sporting viability of the team but with Michael Andretti.
Andretti’s efforts to join the grid were perhaps seen as a bit aggressive and as soon as he decided to step down and not play a major role in the project, the FOM had no problem accepting Cadillac as the 11th team on the grid.
