Caterham set for F1 comeback? Here’s what we know so far

The project is led by Saad Kassis-Mohamed, 24, who was named by Forbes among the 30 most influential under-30s in the “Social Influence in Africa” category. The entrepreneur will operate through his investment firm SKM Capital, with an initial investment plan of around €280 million over the first three year planning to bring back Caterham in F1.

The new team, called SKM Racing, will have a technical center in Silverstone, UK, for component production and test benches, while the racing department will be based in Munich, Germany. Key members of the project include Elena Richter (CEO), Marco Bianchi (Technology), and Aisha Khan (Performance). This project, if successful,  would be the second new entry in F1 following Cadillac debut in 2026

SKM Racing will start with 210-230 employees, aiming to reach 320 by the third year. The team also plans a junior research program in collaboration with universities in the UK and Germany.

The project is negotiating multi-year collaborations with F1 engine manufacturers, aiming to combine in-house production with strategic outsourcing. The FIA paperwork and Silverstone facility setup are planned to be completed by early 2026, with the first chassis ready for track testing in Q3 of 2026. If all goes according to plan and approvals are granted, SKM Racing could make its Formula 1 debut in 2027.

With a young, ambitious leader and a clear roadmap, SKM Racing could be the next new name on the F1 grid and that would bring back the spirit of Caterham alive in the Circus. The green team had a difficult path in its racing years, also starting from his own name. In 2010, under Malaysian property, the team got the chance to be named "Lotus Racing" after some deals between the property and the Lotus. In 2012 everything changed, after the acquisition by Caterham cars and the deal between Lotus and Renault there were two "Lotus" teams. This led directly to the court where the "black and gold" was assigned directly to Renault and the team was forced to change its name in "Caterham F1 Team". Caterham has retired in 2014 after 94 GPs without scoring points.