Cadillac Backs F1 V8 Push While Keeping 2028 V6

General Motors has publicly backed a future return to V8 engines in Formula 1, with Cadillac aligning itself with Stefano Domenicali’s push for simpler power units even as its own 2028 works V6 program continues unchanged.

GM president Mark Reuss said Cadillac would welcome that direction, adding weight to a debate that has gathered momentum as Formula 1 looks beyond the next rules cycle. “We know how to build V8 engines,” Reuss said, pointing to GM’s experience in GTP and GTD Pro and noting those engines are built in Michigan. He added that the company would be “very happy” to pursue that opportunity in Formula 1.

What makes Cadillac’s stance notable is that the brand is simultaneously investing in the engine formula that could eventually be superseded. Reuss said GM is still developing its planned 2028 Formula 1 2.4-liter V6 twin-turbo and made clear the project remains in place. “I don’t think it will change,” he said. “We’ve already made substantial investments, and it’s a great project.”

The wider V8 discussion has accelerated because the 2026-era power-unit rules have drawn criticism for their heavy dependence on electric power and the complexity of energy management. That has helped open the door to support for lighter, simpler and cheaper engines in the next phase of the regulations, with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem among those calling for less electrification.

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has also argued for a future that restores more prominence to the combustion engine through sustainable fuels. Speaking to L’Equipe, Domenicali said he sees “a future where green fuel plays the central role” and believes F1 can “change the current balance with the electric part and bring the internal combustion engine back as the star.” He called that “the foundation of motorsport.”

Domenicali tied that vision to the cars themselves, arguing that a shift in engine philosophy could tackle one of modern F1’s biggest technical concerns. He said it would offer a chance to “significantly reduce the overall weight of the car” and recover “a more agile and compact car” that drivers can push harder, while also delivering something that would “delight traditional fans.”

Cadillac’s support matters because its Formula 1 entry has been built around becoming a full works manufacturer from 2028 rather than staying a Ferrari customer indefinitely. GM has already set up an F1 engine division in North Carolina under veteran engineer Russ O’Blenes and has joined engine-maker meetings as it prepares for that step.

That leaves Cadillac in a distinctive position in the current debate: a new entrant committing major resources to the incoming V6 hybrid era while openly endorsing a later move to a simpler V8 concept. If Formula 1 does head toward that kind of reset around 2030 or 2031, Cadillac will be one of the manufacturers most directly affected by how quickly the sport chooses to change course.