Cadillac to Unveil First F1 Livery with $8M Super Bowl Ad
Cadillac plans a groundbreaking entry into Formula 1 by unveiling its 2026 livery through an $8 million Super Bowl advertisement on February 8th, 2026. This bold move aims to capture a massive American audience and establish the brand's presence in F1, backed by a significant investment and an experienced driver lineup of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, signaling a serious challenge to European rivals.
Cadillac is set to make a grand entrance into Formula 1, revealing its first F1 livery on Sunday, February 8th, 2026, through an unconventional and high-profile platform: a Super Bowl advertisement. This move highlights Cadillac's ambition to immediately capture a massive American audience as it prepares to join the grid in 2026.
Why it matters:
Cadillac's decision to launch its F1 livery during the Super Bowl, one of the most-watched sporting events globally, signals a bold and expensive strategy to establish its presence in Formula 1. This highly visible debut aims to build an immediate fanbase in the crucial American market, underscoring the brand's commitment to challenging established European rivals.
The details:
- High-Stakes Unveiling: Cadillac F1's inaugural livery will be showcased during a commercial slot on Super Bowl Sunday 2026, diverging from traditional team launch events.
- Massive Audience: The Super Bowl consistently draws immense viewership, with the previous edition attracting approximately 127.7 million viewers. This guarantees an enormous initial audience for Cadillac's F1 debut.
- Premium Advertising: A 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl is estimated to cost around $8 million, reflecting the team's significant investment in this launch strategy.
- Strategic Investment: Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Global (jointly running Cadillac F1 with General Motors), confirmed the team's "typical Super Bowl spend," emphasizing the intent to reach a broad American audience.
- Underdog Narrative: Towriss articulated the team's motivation, stating, "There's this underdog status as an American brand that is just joining Formula 1 but doing it from a standing start, going up against European rivals that have been honing their craft for decades."
- Experienced Driver Lineup: Cadillac is set to join the F1 grid with an experienced driver pairing, having signed Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez. Perez has recently been re-acclimatizing to F1 cars, while Bottas participated in 2026 tire testing.
The big picture:
Cadillac is the fifth team to announce its 2026 launch plans, following Aston Martin, Red Bull, Racing Bulls, and Alpine. This high-profile Super Bowl launch is more than just an unveiling; it's a statement of intent. By leveraging one of America's biggest sporting stages, Cadillac aims to position itself as a serious contender from day one, rallying support from its home market as it embarks on its F1 journey.
What's next:
With the livery launch set for February 2026, the F1 community will be eagerly watching to see the design that Cadillac brings to the grid. The Super Bowl ad will mark the visual introduction of the team's identity to a global audience, setting the stage for their competitive debut in March of the same year. The performance of their seasoned driver lineup will also be a key focus as they transition into this new American-backed F1 project.