Ever for the reason that American-based media and leisure company Liberty Media purchased F1’s industrial rights holder FOM in 2017, the rising American affect within the sport and its tradition has been unimaginable to disregard.
From only a single grand prix in the US in 2017 to a few in 2024, logos of a number of Fortune 500 corporations abruptly showing on the bodywork and overalls of groups up and down the grid and probably the most profitable US TV rights renewal offers FOM has ever struck, F1 is having fun with unparalleled recognition amongst American corporations in addition to American race followers.
For 2026, the appearance of a brand new period for the game with its revised V6 turbo energy items will convey with it a completely new crew in Cadillac, the evolution of the unique Andretti’s entry granted the blessing of the FIA final 12 months.
That is the primary time that Detroit motoring large Normal Motors (GM) has stepped into the world championship struggle to tackle the likes of Purple Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren. However there can be one other entity concerned that GM is aware of all too nicely – their longest and fiercest rivals: Ford.
Tying up with Purple Bull to assist the present world champions’ 2026 powertrain efforts, Ford’s return to F1 is the most recent chapter of their wealthy historical past within the sport. Whether or not its by means of their championship-winning success as an engine provider within the Cosworth period or bringing the Jaguar identify to the grand prix grid in 2000 with the Milton Keynes manufacturing facility which now bears the Purple Bull identify, Ford is not any stranger to the challenges of Components 1.
However 2026 would be the first time these two titans of the American motor business will compete towards one another on the highest stage.
Advert | Grow to be a RaceFans supporter and
The rivalry between GM and Ford was already lively when the NASCAR was in its infancy within the post-war years. Within the days earlier than the speedway was constructed, Ford inventory automobiles raced side-by-side down Daytona Seashore towards Cadillacs, Pontiacs, Buicks and Oldsmobiles.
As NASCAR developed and professionalised over the a long time, the 2 corporations dominated the Grand Nationwide collection into its transformation into the Cup period. Within the 61 seasons between 1955 and 2015, Ford and GM – by means of their Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac and Oldsmobile manufacturers – claimed the championship a complete of 58 occasions between them.
Whereas the loyalties of NASCAR’s passionate followers lay extra with particular person drivers than producers, Chevrolet had been lucky that two of probably the most profitable Cup drivers in historical past – Dale Earnhardt Snr and Jimmie Johnson – gained all 14 of their mixed championships of their automobiles. Ford, then again, powered David Pearson to his three championships – a feat matched this 12 months by present Cup champion Joey Logano, one other Ford driver.
The competitors moved from inventory automobiles to single seaters as Ford and GM had been closely concerned in CART and the Indianapolis 500. A Ford-supported Cosworth engine powered a automotive for the primary time within the Indy 500 in 1976 within the automotive of Al Unser Snr. Two years later, Unser gave Cosworth its first win within the prestigious race, which was the primary of ten consecutive wins for Cosworth-powered automobiles.
Fittingly, Cosworth’s profitable streak led to 1988 when Rick Mears claimed victory with a Chevrolet engine in his automotive. It was then GM’s flip for a run of wins on the Brickyard, as they gained the race for six consecutive years. Throughout this time, the CART collection was dominated by engines from each corporations, predominately Ford-Cosworths in addition to Chevrolets and Buicks, up till the tip of the 1993 season when Chevrolet departed.
Though Ford’s most well-known rivalry in sportscar racing was their legendary battles with Ferrari for the Le Mans 24 Hours with their GT40, they’d naturally find yourself combating towards GM and its manufacturers in GT racing each in North America and internationally.
Advert | Grow to be a RaceFans supporter and
Ford revived its GT40 with a modernised Ford GT, then determined to mark the fiftieth anniversary of their 1966 Le Mans triumph by teaming up with Chip Ganassi Racing to provide a GTE-spec model. The automotive raced in each the IMSA collection in North America and within the Le Mans 24 Hours towards manufacturing facility Corvettes and within the World Endurance Championship towards a privately entered Corvette.
The honours had been even within the 4 IMSA seasons Ford and Chevrolet battled it out within the GT Le Mans class championship, each out-scoring one another twice – albeit with Chevrolet profitable two titles to Ford’s one. However when it got here to Le Mans, the Ford GT beat the Corvette throughout all 4 years that the 2 competed within the GT Professional class, with Chip Ganassi’s crew even taking a category victory on the first try in 2016.
However unquestionably the fiercest duels between Ford and GM had been fought out in what’s now the Australian Supercars collection. Initially the Australian Touring Automobile Championship, Ford and GM model Holden had been two of a collection of producers represented within the collection, together with a number of Japanese makes like Mazda, Toyota and Nissan. However by the mid-nineties, the sector consisted solely of Ford Falcons and GM’s Holden Commodores.
For almost 20 years, the 2 fashions fought head-to-head within the renamed V8 Supercars championship. The Falcon and Commodore had been elevated to iconic standing inside Australian motorsport, with occasions just like the Bathurst 1000 and Gold Coast 600 attracting visitor drivers from internationally of worldwide motorsport.
Advert | Grow to be a RaceFans supporter and
With Australians’ love of rugged, hip-and-shoulder racing and keenness for sport, V8 Supercars leant into the warfare between the 2 manufacturers closely. Ford vs Holden grew to become as intense a rivalry as any in Australian sport, with followers absolutely embracing the tribal nature of getting to choose one aspect over the opposite. A number of champion Craig Lowndes’ selection to modify from Holden’s HRT crew to Gibson Motor Sport, who raced with a Falcon, was treason within the eyes of many Holden followers.
Finally, the arrival of latest laws in 2013 noticed Nissan, Mercedes and even Volvo be part of within the enjoyable, however Ford and Holden continued to jealously hoard the collection championship between themselves. Australians had been outraged and heartbroken when GM ultimately killed off the Holden model for good a few years in the past. Now, the present Supercars collection is contested solely between Ford Mustangs and Chevrolet Camaros – one other GM mannequin.
In transferring into Components 1 – each with differing ranges of dedication – Ford and GM are moving into an enviornment that many main, profitable producers have entered earlier than them, solely to go away with their tails between their legs reaching little. With Audi additionally taking on Sauber to turn out to be their manufacturing facility crew, Cadillac is not going to be alone in being the one model competing on this planet championship for the primary time in 2026.
Whichever of the 2 is most certainly to have probably the most success is troublesome to name at this stage. Ford appear apparent to choose, given they’re teaming up with the a number of world champions, however Purple Bull have by no means designed and constructed their very own energy unit in-house earlier than, and even with Ford’s experience that’s no minor process. Cadillac and Andretti are a model new crew, however they get pleasure from being at present unrestrained by the identical testing restrictions positioned on the prevailing 10 groups.
Both manner, it will likely be a deal with to see one in all motorsport’s best rivalries lastly being fought on the grandest stage of all.
Advert | Grow to be a RaceFans supporter and
Miss nothing from RaceFans
Get a each day electronic mail with all our newest tales – and nothing else. No advertising and marketing, no adverts. Enroll right here:
