Loading
The arrival of Cadillac on the Formula 1 grid represents a seismic shift in the sport's landscape. On Sunday, February 8, 2026, the American-owned team will make its official entrance into the championship by unveiling its highly anticipated livery during Super Bowl LX—a bold and unprecedented marketing move that underscores the team's ambitions to capture a global audience.
The Cadillac Formula 1 team marks the first completely new entry to the grid in over a decade, ending a significant drought in fresh competition. With team principal Graeme Lowdon leading operations and CEO Dan Towriss steering the organization, Cadillac has assembled a competitive infrastructure ahead of its maiden season.
The livery unveiling will occur during a TV advert broadcast during Super Bowl LX. The Seattle Seahawks will face the New England Patriots, with kickoff scheduled for 11:30 PM GMT on Sunday, February 8. However, the exact timing of the Cadillac advertisement remains dependent on game flow.
Here are the key broadcast times by region:
UK viewers can watch the Super Bowl and the Cadillac reveal for free on Channel 5, with the broadcast also available via Sky Sports. The team is expected to share the reveal across its social media channels immediately following the broadcast.
Beyond the Super Bowl spectacle, Cadillac is orchestrating an elaborate countdown display in Times Square, New York, running from February 6 through February 9. The installation features a frosted exhibit that will progressively "thaw" to reveal the livery as the countdown intensifies, giving fans in the heart of Manhattan a front-row seat to the unveiling.
Dan Towriss emphasized the significance of this dual-pronged launch strategy, stating that "the Super Bowl spot will take the team into millions of homes, while the Cadillac Countdown will give a front-row view in one of the busiest areas in the US".
Cadillac surprised many by opting for a pragmatic driver lineup rather than pursuing an American talent for their inaugural campaign. The team secured Sergio Perez, the former Red Bull driver, and Valtteri Bottas, who most recently competed for Mercedes. This combination prioritizes immediate competitiveness and championship experience as Cadillac establishes itself within the competitive midfield.
While an American driver was not included in the inaugural roster, Towriss confirmed that "it's important to us to make sure there's a pathway for an American driver into Formula 1 and we'll be working on that".
The American outfit has already demonstrated its readiness by completing the first pre-season test in Barcelona from January 26-30. Despite completing only 164 laps—the fewest among teams utilizing their full three-day allocation—Cadillac's achievement was notable given that Williams failed to attend the test and Aston Martin managed only one full day of running.
The team operated with a special shakedown livery during Barcelona testing, preserving the official design for the Super Bowl reveal.
Beyond the driver pairings, Cadillac has assembled a formidable technical and management structure. John McQuilliam serves as chief designer, while Jon Tomlison, formerly of Williams, leads the aerodynamics department. Xavier Marcos Padros, Charles Leclerc's former race engineer at Ferrari, has been appointed chief race engineer. Additionally, Rob White, a veteran of Alpine's leadership, joined as chief operating officer.
The 2026 Formula 1 season officially commences with the Australian Grand Prix from March 6-8. Before that milestone, Cadillac will participate in the first Bahrain pre-season test from February 11-13, with the final hour of each day's running airing live on Sky Sports F1.
The Cadillac livery reveal during Super Bowl LX represents far more than a simple color scheme announcement—it symbolizes a watershed moment for American motorsport and signals the sport's continued expansion into mainstream US culture. For F1 enthusiasts worldwide, the countdown has truly begun.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.
Comments (0)
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts!
Loading posts...