Major former Audi figure makes Cadillac F1 switch – report

It has been reported that Cadillac has signed former Audi Formula
Racing chief executive Adam Baker. According to Motorsport Magazin
, Baker has been signed by F1's newest outfit and will become the
chief operating officer of Cadillac's engine factory.  Cadillac
will enter F1 next season as a Ferrari customer team, and will run
power units supplied by the Scuderia until at least the end of the
2028 campaign.  The current plan for the American squad is to
become its own powertrain supplier from 2029, becoming a full
factory F1 team.  Next year, Cadillac will open an F1 engine
factory near General Motors' Technical Center in Charlotte, North
Carolina. Baker will be responsible for building Cadillac's engine
department, and will meet Russ O'Blenes, General Motors'
Performance Power Units CEO, in Charlotte.  According to the
publication, it remains unclear whether Cadillac will develop a
powertrain for the current regulations or prepare for a potential
switch to V10s or V8s.  The new power unit regulations are set to
run until 2030, although talks are reportedly under way for an
early change.  Should the new regulations remain in place for the
full cycle, it is already being questioned if it is profitable for
Cadillac to design an engine for just two seasons; however, a major
reason behind it's acceptance onto the grid was its promise to
become an OEM.  Regardless of the decision made by Cadillac and no
matter what changes F1 makes to the new regulations, Baker is a key
signing.  Baker previously worked at the FIA as its safety
director, but moved to Audi before its own F1 project was
approved.  He was responsible for setting up the German
manufacturer's engine department, but left by 'mutual consent' in
May earlier this year after Mattia Binotto took over the whole Audi
F1 project.