NDSU to Sponsor Junior Formula 1 Team

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After Bryce Haugeberg made his NASCAR debut in 2025 with his Bison livery, NDSU decided to dip its toes into a different motor racing series. Formula 1 has seen its popularity spike in America in the 2020’s with three races taking place in the states, alongside the hit Netflix series “Drive to Survive,” which has steadily gained viewership. As NDSU continues to see its engineering department prosper with more and more investments, the school has given the program a huge boost as they announce their plans to partner with Cadillac Formula 1. Cadillac is the newest team in F1, joining the championship in 2026, and the American team has been looking for programs across the nation to sponsor young drivers. NDSU has heeded the call to action as it will join the University of Maryland, Georgia Tech and MIT in the project.

The project will see the programs take control of a Formula 4 team, a lower level of competition for entry-level drivers. The schools will work together, selecting 10 students each semester to work on the car. This will be fully funded by Cadillac F1 as the team looks to build its youth programs to the likes of rivals Redbull and Ferrari. NDSU will soon announce an oversight board consisting of professors and graduate students who will select the students each semester. While not confirmed, a design team has been rumored for the car livery.

This will be one of the best opportunities for engineering students interested in motorsports. Cadillac is fully committed to the program with six years of guaranteed support. Funding will include room, board and travel for all students within the program. For those interested in driving for the team, Cadillac has yet to announce any plans for drivers. But do note that Formula 4 drivers are usually fairly experienced, with racing experience since they were fairly young, so the competition will be competitive.

The series takes place across the entire country with races in Alabama, Virginia, New Jersey, Ohio, Wisconsin and Louisiana. Positions for the team include aerodynamic engineers, technical engineers, manufacturing designers, pit crew and race operations. There will be plenty of room to learn and grow as NDSU will also start offering classes that are more specific to designing cars in motorsport, specifically under the current F4 regulations.

The program will start in the fall of this year, as applications for the program will be open shortly after Cadillac and the school can come together on the oversight board. Maryland and Georgia Tech have already announced they will be doing an exchange program where students will be able to attend both schools to take on different aspects of the project. I assume NDSU will join this pact very soon.