From Zero to the Grid: How Cadillac Formula 1®Team Built a Racing Squad on IFS 

When Speed Meets Intelligence: The Partnership Redefining Formula 1 TM 

In a sport where every millisecond counts, Cadillac Formula 1® Team faced an unprecedented challenge: building a competitive Formula 1 operation from the ground up in a matter of months. As the first team to join the grid in over a decade, they needed more than just speed on the track, they needed a digital foundation as agile as the cars they were designing. 

IFS became their official partner, powering everything from financial operations to race-day compliance. This wasn’t just another software deal.  

Racing Against the Clock 

When Laura Sturland joined the Cadillac Formula 1 Team as Chief Financial Officer in July 2024, the scale of the challenge was immediately apparent. The team, which began operations in 2022 long before securing their official Formula 1 entry in March 2025, needed to build world-class facilities across two continents while staying compliant with Formula 1’s strict cost cap regulations. 

“I’m responsible for all things finance, so your traditional finance functions, but also we have a cost cap in our sport,” Sturland explains. “We are trying to make sure we’re balancing the right investment decision to make the car go faster. Every dollar counts.” 

The team’s ambitions were as bold as they were complex. They were constructing what will become one of the biggest Formula 1 factories®  on the grid in Indianapolis, building a power unit facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, and establishing a technical hub in Silverstone, UK. Managing operations across multiple sites, two continents, and strict regulatory frameworks demanded technology that could keep pace. 

A Partnership Born from Partnership 

What makes the IFS-Cadillac Formula 1® Team relationship unique in the motorsport world is that it started as a genuine customer relationship, not a marketing exercise. As Willem Dinger, Chief Partnerships Officer at Cadillac Formula 1® Team, notes: “This isn’t just a marketing partnership. This is a partnership that is born out of a real customer that we have worked with.” 

Sturland recalls her early experiences with the IFS team: “My second week in the job, I met the IFS team, and they’re amazing. Stephanie Poore’s team in the UK were so supportive. And actually, the relationship feels really different from those I have had with other ERP products in my life, in my career,”.

The difference, she discovered, was in the approach. “It feels like a true partnership.  You’re brought along on the journey. Keeping you informed of what’s coming in the next release and that’s really helpful, because you feel like you can be part of that conversation,” Sturland explains. “It’s always felt like they were an extension of our team rather than just ‘we sold you some software. Good luck. Off you go.” 

This collaborative spirit proved essential as Cadillac Formula 1® Team set records of its own, reportedly achieving the fastest IFS implementation the company had ever seen. 

From Back Office to Racetrack 

What started as a finance and procurement solution quickly evolved into something far more strategic. The team began with traditional finance functions before expanding into purchase-to-pay processes, inventory management, and ultimately, race-day operations. 

Sturland describes one of the most critical applications: “When the car leaves the garage, you have to tell the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) all the car parts that are on the car. The FIA come look around your car, check the serial numbers, and check what you’ve told them is accurate, so IFS is actually part of that transaction with the FIA and is making sure that we’re compliant.” 

This isn’t just about compliance; it’s about competitive advantage. In Formula 1, better data means better decisions, and better decisions mean faster cars. Sturland makes the connection explicit: “For us, data helps us make better cost cap decisions. If we can make decisions quicker, we will make better decisions, and we’ll make the car go faster, fundamental.” 

Building a Legacy in Months 

As the team prepareds for their first shakedown in Silverstone, followed by testing in Barcelona and Bahrain, Sturland’s priorities are clear: “For the next two months, it’s about execution. So, let’s get the core systems nailed. Let’s get the car on the grid. And then it’s all about optimization.” 

The ambition extends far beyond just showing up. “No one’s joined this sport in ten years, and the people that are in this sport are at the pinnacle of motorsport, and we should respect that,” Sturland acknowledges. “What we’ve got is endless ambition, and we’re going to work very hard to become really credible this year and build upon it.”

The Power of True Partnership 

What emerges from the IFS-Cadillac Formula 1® Team story is more than a technology implementation or a sponsorship deal. It’s a blueprint for how enterprise software partnerships can drive genuine business transformation in the most demanding environments. 

Sturland’s reflection captures the essence of what makes this partnership work: “I think that relationship is truly special and is one of the reasons that I’m most excited about this partnership.” 

In Formula 1, as in business, the difference between winning and losing often comes down to milliseconds and decisions made at speed. For Cadillac Formula 1® Team, IFS isn’t just software running in the background, it’s the digital foundation enabling them to compete at the highest level of motorsport. 

With the  season now underway, Cadillac Formula 1® Team will be demonstrating what’s possible when technology partnership, relentless ambition, and true collaboration come together at 200 miles per hour.

About Cadillac Formula 1® Team 

Cadillac Formula 1 Team is the first all-American team to join the Formula 1 grid in over a decade, backed by shareholders TWG and General Motors. With facilities in Indianapolis, Charlotte, North Carolina (power unit facility), and Silverstone, UK (technical hub), the team represents American racing heritage bringing innovation and speed to the pinnacle of motorsport. 

About the Partnership 

IFS serves as an official founding partner of Cadillac Formula 1 Team, providing enterprise resource planning solutions that power everything from financial operations and procurement to race-day compliance and inventory management. The partnership extends beyond technology to include prominent brand placement on cars, team overalls, and integrated marketing and content strategies.