Ford-Backed Red Bull Stalls After Hadjar's F1 Crash During Testing

Cadillac enjoys upbeat debut as Detroit rivals Ford and GM go head-to-head in Formula 1

Jan. 29, 2026 at 6:31am

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The 2026 Formula 1 season has gotten off to a rocky start for Ford, which is partnered with Red Bull Racing. A crash by new Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar during pre-season testing in Barcelona forced the team to sit out while they waited for replacement parts, stalling their preparations. Meanwhile, Cadillac, GM's new F1 team, had a more successful debut with drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas. The rivalry between Ford and GM in the motorsport arena has intensified, with Ford investing $50 billion into its EV development and seeing F1 as a key part of its strategy.

Why it matters

The head-to-head battle between Detroit's two automotive giants in Formula 1 is a high-stakes competition, with both companies seeking to showcase their technological capabilities and appeal to American motorsports fans. Ford's partnership with the championship-winning Red Bull team carries high expectations, while GM's Cadillac entry is seen as an underdog. The outcome of this rivalry could have significant implications for the companies' reputations and future EV plans.

The details

During pre-season testing in Barcelona, Isack Hadjar, the new teammate of reigning champion Max Verstappen at the Ford-backed Red Bull team, was involved in a major crash that forced the team to sit out while they waited for replacement parts. This was a setback for Ford, which is investing $50 billion into its worldwide EV development and sees F1 as a crucial part of its strategy to prove its battery and engine technology. Meanwhile, Cadillac, GM's new F1 team, enjoyed a more successful debut with drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas putting the car through its paces. The rivalry between Ford and GM has intensified, with Cadillac's executive dismissing Ford's role as a 'marketing deal' while Ford's executive chairman Bill Ford argued that Cadillac is 'running a Ferrari engine' and not a Cadillac one.

  • The 2026 Formula 1 season unofficially began as private testing took place in Barcelona on January 29, 2026.
  • Isack Hadjar's crash occurred during this pre-season testing in Barcelona.

The players

Ford

An American automaker that is partnering with Red Bull Racing to produce the powertrain for their new F1 car, the RB22, as the sport introduces new regulations.

Cadillac

GM's brand that is entering Formula 1 as an eleventh, totally new team with global management spanning from England to the United States. Cadillac's F1 team is powered by a Ferrari engine.

Isack Hadjar

The new teammate of reigning champion Max Verstappen at the Ford-backed Red Bull team, who was involved in a major crash during pre-season testing in Barcelona.

Jim Farley

The CEO of Ford, who was likely heartbroken by the lack of movement from the Red Bull team as they waited for spare parts following Hadjar's crash.

Dan Towriss

A Cadillac executive who dismissed Ford's role in the F1 championship as 'a marketing deal with minimal impact' while arguing that GM is 'deeply embedded from an engineering standpoint' in the Cadillac team.

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What they’re saying

“They're running a Ferrari engine. They're not running a Cadillac engine. I don't know if they have any GM employees on the race team.”

— Bill Ford, Executive Chairman, Ford (Newsweek)

“I would say, actually, the reverse is true. They're running a Ferrari engine. They're not running a Cadillac engine. I don't know if they have any GM employees on the race team.”

— Bill Ford, Executive Chairman, Ford (Newsweek)

What’s next

Red Bull will return to the track on Wednesday to continue its three days of allotted pre-season testing after the team cleared up the wreck from Hadjar's crash.

The takeaway

The rivalry between Detroit's automotive giants Ford and GM has intensified as they go head-to-head in Formula 1, with both companies seeking to showcase their technological capabilities and appeal to American motorsports fans. Ford's partnership with Red Bull faces an early setback, while Cadillac enjoys a more successful debut, setting the stage for a high-stakes competition that could have significant implications for the companies' reputations and future EV plans.