2026 Cadillac F1 car launch: team set for Super Bowl splash with livery reveal
America's second Formula 1 team prepares for a Super Bowl spectacle as Cadillac unveils its debut livery
Cadillac had its first public outing in Barcelona
Cadillac
Formula 1’s newest team is set for one of the championship’s most audacious launches, as Cadillac unveils its debut livery during the Super Bowl half-time show on Sunday.
The American manufacturer is complementing the televised spectacle with a countdown installation in New York’s Times Square, featuring a frosted glass car replica that will go on to reveal the livery as millions watch.
It’s an entrance befitting America’s return to Formula 1 as a works operation as Cadillac becomes the grid’s 11th team, marking the first expansion since Haas joined a decade ago.
The timing couldn’t be more significant, coinciding with sweeping technical regulations that level the competitive playing field.
The bold marketing strategy reflects the team’s confidence in challenging convention while honouring its automotive heritage while making a big impression off the track, while it works on eventually making one on it.
The road to the season-opener in Melbourne in March presents big obstacles for Cadillac, however.
Operating from dual bases in Indianapolis and Silverstone, Cadillac faces not only the usual challenges that come with being a new F1 team but also the logistical complexity of coordinating a transatlantic operation.
The team will be running Ferrari power units while developing its own General Motors engine for 2029, adding technical uncertainty to an already demanding debut season.
Team Principal Graeme Lowdon has tempered expectations, emphasising execution and earning respect rather than immediate results.
The team got decent mileage in Barcelona
Cadillac
As pointed out by Valtteri Bottas, the goal for Cadillac’s first year is make lots of progress and try not to finish last.
However, Cadillac arrives with a considerable pedigree.
The driver pairing of Bottas and Sergio Perez brings 16 grand prix wins and over 500 race starts between them, invaluable experience for a new operation.
The team has been methodically building towards its debut, running a monochrome testing livery in Barcelona, where it made its ‘competitive’ debut alongside rival teams.
As the Super Bowl countdown ticks down, anticipation builds for a livery that will define American motor sport’s boldest gambit in decades.
Cadillac 2026 F1 car reveal
Cadillac has orchestrated a dual-location unveiling for its inaugural livery, centred on Super Bowl LX on February 8.
The chrome-clad “Cadillac Countdown Box” arrived in New York’s Times Square from February 6, featuring a frosted glass exterior concealing a replica car while a digital clock counts down to the reveal.
The livery will be unveiled during a television commercial broadcast at the Super Bowl half-time show, expected around 1-1.30am GMT at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Immediately following the broadcast, the frosted glass will “thaw” to reveal the full livery, with the installation remaining on display on February 9 for public viewing.
Cadillac shakedown and testing schedule
Cadillac kicked off its on-track programme with a private shakedown at Silverstone on January 17, where Perez completed the team’s maiden laps in damp conditions.
The American squad then participated in Barcelona’s behind-closed-doors shakedown from, running on three of the five available days while operating in a monochrome testing livery designed to conceal aerodynamic details.
Following the livery reveal, Cadillac will join the grid for official pre-season testing in Bahrain across two three-day sessions: February 11-13 and February 18-20.
Cadillac’ 2026 car
Cadillac faced the extraordinary challenge of designing and building a competitive F1 car from scratch.
Bottas during testing in Barcelona
Cadillac
Pat Symonds, hired as an executive engineering consultant, highlighted the daunting timeline when he joined the project in January 2025, noting they had fewer than 400 days until pre-season testing if it followed the 2014 pattern.
The team has been working against the clock since receiving provisional approval in late 2024, with final FIA confirmation arriving only in March 2025.
Nick Chester leads the technical direction, supported by a roster of experienced personnel including Rob White and aerodynamicist Jon Tomlinson.
The 2026 car uses Ferrari power units and gearboxes while GM develops its own Cadillac engine for introduction in 2029.
The partnership represents a crucial bridge, allowing Cadillac to focus on chassis development while relying on Ferrari’s hybrid technology during these formative years as it builds towards full works team status.
Cadillac 2026 F1 driver line-up
Sergio Perez
Contracted through at least 2026
Perez signed a multi-year deal with Cadillac, believed to cover at least two seasons with an option for a third depending on performance. The Mexican is returning to the grid after a one-year absence following his Red Bull exit.
Valtteri Bottas
Contracted through at least 2026
Bottas also signed a multi-year deal with Cadillac. Like his team-mate, the Finn stayed on the sidelines during 2025 after losing his Sauber drive and comes back to racing after a year as Mercedes’ reserve.
