Cadillac has unveiled the livery for its first Formula 1 car, introducing the sport’s 11th team during a Super Bowl LX commercial break. The reveal was paired with a live display in Times Square, trading the usual paddock presentation for prime-time exposure.
With more than 130 million viewers watching, the message was direct: Cadillac is entering F1 on its own terms.
The car runs a clean split design (black on one side, white on the other) joined by a gradient built from Cadillac’s chevron logo. It’s sharp, simple and instantly recognisable. The team says the pattern is meant to suggest movement even at a standstill, while also nodding to its General Motors backing. In a grid often dominated by dark colour schemes, the contrast stands out.
That asymmetry also raised eyebrows. F1 rules state that liveries must be “substantially similar” on both sides, a regulation in place since the late 1990s to ensure visual uniformity. Cadillac sought clarification from the FIA before finalising the design, avoiding the kind of dispute that occurred over paintwork in the past. Even in Formula 1, aesthetics come with paperwork.
The scale of the launch matched the ambition. Industry estimates suggest the Super Bowl slot costs between US$7 million and US$8 million.
On track, Cadillac will start with Ferrari customer engines, with plans to introduce its own power unit in 2029 through Performance Power Units, backed by TWG Motorsports and GM. The team says development is on schedule. Until then, the focus is on building a solid foundation.
Experience won’t be an issue. Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas lead the line-up, bringing more than 500 race starts between them. Zhou Guanyu joins as reserve driver, with Colton Herta in a test role.
Operations are spread across Indianapolis, Charlotte and Silverstone, giving the team both American scale and British F1 infrastructure.
Cadillac makes its race debut at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne from 6–8 March, kicking off a 24-round season that includes three races in the United States. The livery is the introduction. The real statement comes when the lights go out.
