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Cadillac Confirmed for 2026 F1 Grid
Jordan Greer
November 26, 2024
Good morning, SpeedBites readers! As the 2024 Formula One season comes towards its close we’re learning about some teams’ preparations for 2025 and the news that Cadillac is confirmed to join the grid as an 11th team in 2026. Meanwhile, images of the Sultan of Brunei’s 7,000-car collection have leaked online, and Cosworth has finished off its run of Valkyrie engines. As always, if you enjoy our daily dose of automotive excitement, consider sharing SpeedBites with friends who might appreciate the ride.
AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY NEWS
BMW has implemented its Automated Driving In-Plant (AFW) system, allowing vehicles to autonomously navigate a predefined course within its factories, starting with the Dingolfing facility and expanding to Leipzig, Regensburg, and Oxford. The system, which utilizes extensive Lidar infrastructure and sensors, is set to enhance production efficiency and is expected to log millions of test kilometers over the next decade.
UK motorists are increasingly opting to keep their aging vehicles, with nearly half of the 34 million cars on the road being over a decade old. Despite an overall rise in new car sales, private customers are increasingly keeping their cars running for longer due to factors like the rising cost of new vehicles and a shrinking selection of traditional fuel models.
Kia has partnered with the Netflix series Squid Game to promote the facelifted 2025 Kia Sportage through a mini-series and global campaign ahead of the show's second season premiere on December 26, 2024. The promotional series, which debuted on YouTube on November 22, features a 'Pink Guard' character and aims to showcase the Sportage's innovative features while incorporating the show's distinctive aesthetic elements.
The new Audi Q5 Sportback features a redesigned exterior and interior, starting at £52,350, and offers a range of powertrains including a mild-hybrid petrol, diesel, and a V6 option. Built on the Premium Platform Combustion architecture, the Q5 Sportback will be available in three trim levels and is set to go on sale in January 2025, with deliveries beginning in May.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced plans to revive the state's Clean Vehicle Rebate program if President-elect Donald Trump eliminates the federal EV tax credit, although Tesla will be excluded from these rebates due to market-share limitations. The original program, which ended in 2023, funded over 594,000 vehicles and aimed to promote zero-emission vehicles.
Jaguar has launched a new brand identity and promotional campaign called "Copy Nothing" which has sparked significant discussion and controversy, with some critics labeling it as "woke". Despite mixed reactions, the campaign has garnered millions of views online, as the company prepares to unveil its Design Vision concept on December 2, signaling a shift towards an electric ultra-luxury brand set to debut in 2026.
Cosworth has concluded its production of the Aston Martin Valkyrie's naturally aspirated V12 engine, marking the end of a collaboration that produced 257 engines over nearly a decade. The Valkyrie, which combines this engine with an electric motor for a total output of 1,139 horsepower, recently set a record at Silverstone, becoming the first road-going production car to complete a lap in under two minutes.
Alfa Romeo's 33 Stradale, a mid-engine supercar with over 620 horsepower, has undergone high-speed testing at Nardo, achieving a top speed of 333 km/h and a 0-62 mph time of under three seconds. The vehicle features a unique suspension design, carbon ceramic brakes, and multiple driving modes, aiming to deliver a blend of performance and comfort for its limited production run.
The Rivian R1S's now comes with Adaptive Drive Beam headlights, which have recently become legal in the US after being available in other markets around the world for almost a decade. These lights dynamically adjust to oncoming traffic and road conditions, enhancing visibility without blinding other drivers, with Rivian successfully implemented the technology in its 2025 models.
Jaguar is buying back 2,760 2019 I-Pace EVs in the US due to ongoing fire risks associated with battery overheating, despite previous software fixes. This decision follows reports of three fires in vehicles that had received updates, and comes as Jaguar prepares to relaunch itself as an electric-only brand amidst recent criticism of its rebranding efforts.
Lamborghini models like the Revuelto and Temerario use specialized “axial flux motors”, which are lighter and more compact than traditional electric motors, developed by a Mercedes subsidiary but which Mercedes itself is yet to incorporate into its own production vehicles. The company’s ownership of Yasa has helped Mercedes to expand its revenue streams, alongside supply of AMG engines to various other supercar such as the V12 in the Pagani Utopia.
MOTORSPORT
General Motors' Cadillac Formula 1 team has received approval to join the F1 grid for the 2026 season, marking the first entry of an American team built from the ground up by a major automaker. While GM plans to develop its own engines by the end of the decade, it will initially rely on a powertrain from another team, with speculation pointing to Ferrari or Honda as potential partners.
McLaren expressed gratitude for Mercedes' victory at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, as it limited Ferrari's ability to close the gap in the constructors' championship, reducing the deficit to 24 points. Despite struggling with pace during the race, McLaren's team principal Andrea Stella acknowledged the competitiveness of the top teams and emphasized the need for caution heading into the final races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, where the team's car is expected to perform better.
Ferrari tested an experimental floor design on Carlos Sainz's SF-24 during free practice at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, aiming to gather data for its 2025 plans amid challenges in translating wind tunnel results to track performance. The updates included a comprehensive refresh of various floor components and a minor adjustment to the front wing for improved balance and straight-line speed, reflecting a strategic approach to address past performance issues.
Formula 1 has launched a new Diversity and Inclusion charter, supported by all ten teams and the FIA, aimed at enhancing representation in the sport, which has historically lacked diversity. This initiative, developed with input from The Royal Academy of Engineering and Lewis Hamilton's Mission 44 charity, establishes principles to attract and engage underrepresented groups while promoting collaborative efforts for long-term change in the racing community.
Valtteri Bottas is set to leave the Stake F1 team at the end of the season, with the team opting to sign Gabriel Bortoleto alongside Nico Hulkenberg as it prepares for a transition to Audi in 2026. Bottas has ruled out a potential move to Red Bull, citing personal tensions within the team, while expressing interest in a future opportunity with General Motors, which is expected to join the F1 grid as an 11th team.
Lance Stroll's performance at the Las Vegas GP was hindered by a radio failure on lap one, preventing him from effectively communicating his need for an earlier pitstop due to tire graining. This miscommunication resulted in a chaotic pitstop on lap nine, where his team was unprepared, ultimately costing him about 20 seconds and leading to a 15th-place finish, while Alpine's Esteban Ocon faced a similar pitstop issue that contributed to his 17th-place result.
Robert Wickens, who was left paralyzed from the waist down due to a crash during the 2018 IndyCar Pocono 500, is set to compete in the 2025 IMSA SportsCar Championship driving the #36 Corvette Z06 GT3.R in the GTD class. His return to racing follows a successful stint in IMSA's Michelin Pilot Challenge and includes the use of a specially designed electronic hand-brake control system, with plans to participate in select sprint events.
CURIOSITIES
Bugatti's new hypercar, the Tourbillon, has been spotted in Zagreb, showcasing its V-16 engine, which produces 1,000 horsepower and revs to 9,500 rpm. With only 250 units planned for production starting in 2026, the prototype is currently undergoing testing and may aim for a top speed of 500 km/h.
Recent photos have surfaced of the approximately 7,000-car collection of the 29th Sultan of Brunei. This legendary car collector was famed for scooping up multiple examples of limited edition cars as well as commissioning one-off vehicles, with the images revealing unique models such as custom Ferraris, Bentleys, and even amphibious cars, highlighting the eclectic and extravagant nature of this automotive trove - though many are not in especially healthy condition.
A Rivian R1T electric pickup truck was used to successfully tow a semi-truck stuck in mud, showcasing the vehicle's capabilities including its maximum towing capacity of 11,000 pounds and the advantage of instant torque. The owner, Ken Kring, highlighted the practical applications of electric vehicles in real-world scenarios, emphasizing their versatility and effectiveness.
A Lamborghini Diablo suffered significant damage during unloading in Boise, Idaho, after a trailer's hydraulic elevator failed, causing the car to tip off the ramp sideways onto a rear wheel. The incident, which quickly gained attention online, left the owner facing repair costs while the car was reportedly left exposed to the elements overnight alongside another vehicle.
A unique Pagani Zonda 760 LM Roadster is set to be auctioned in Dubai and is expected to fetch over $12 million. This highly personalized vehicle features extensive modifications including elements from various other exclusive Zonda models and is powered by a 760hp version of the naturally aspirated V12 engine.
Two trucks carrying over $1 million worth of Santo Tequila, owned by Guy Fieri and Sammy Hagar, were stolen while en route from Texas to Pennsylvania, with their GPS tracking systems reportedly spoofed to mislead the import firm. The theft, which involved sophisticated technology to falsify location updates, was discovered after the trucking company and importer noticed discrepancies in the delivery status several days later.
In Oregon, approximately 20 vehicles became stranded on a steep, unmaintained road after GPS navigation systems suggested the route to avoid traffic on I-84. Rescue workers emphasized the importance of exercising caution when following GPS directions, particularly in winter conditions, as they worked to free the stuck cars from deep snow.
A rare Volkswagen Passat W8 has become available for sale in the UK, in the even more unusual estate body. This unusual variant of the typically conservative D-segment car features a specially developed 4.0-litre W8 engine, producing 275hp to all four wheels, with only 11,000 units made globally, and due to the complexity and expense of its maintenance it’s not a particularly common site on the roads today.
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