Cadillac Formula 1 Team Debut Nears With Special Livery
Cadillac’s entry into Formula 1 is moving closer, and the iconic American brand will make its historic debut as the Cadillac Formula 1 Team at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on 8 March.
Today, General Motors President Mark Reuss unveiled the Cadillac Formula 1 Team’s Special Edition testing livery at GM’s new global headquarters, the Hudson’s Detroit building. The moment marked a significant milestone as Cadillac moves towards the Formula 1 grid. The team will use the livery during the all-team Shakedown Week in Barcelona, Spain, from 26 to 30 January, before it reveals the final livery on 8 February.
The team developed the testing livery through a cross-continental collaboration between the General Motors Global Design team and the Cadillac Formula 1 Team. The partnership highlights the global reach of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team programme and the creative and technical talent that will drive the brand’s debut in F1.
GM staged the unveiling as part of the opening-week celebrations at its new headquarters. A replica F1 car wore the Cadillac Formula 1 Team Barcelona Shakedown livery. The vehicle will also be on display at the Detroit Auto Show until 25 January so that enthusiasts can see it in person.
The Cadillac Formula 1 Team Barcelona Shakedown livery differs from the official race livery and delivers a bold, disciplined design built for pre-season development. In Formula 1, teams often use testing liveries to mask aerodynamic details ahead of competition, much like camouflaged prototypes in the automotive world, while still expressing brand identity.
“Our new testing livery celebrates Detroit’s design heritage and the power of the global Cadillac Formula 1 team, while keeping our design secrets under wraps,” Reuss said. “The Barcelona test is just the beginning — we can’t wait to share our official race livery with fans around the world next month.”
Dan Towriss, CEO of Cadillac Formula 1 Team Holdings, added: “Cadillac Formula 1 is committed to innovation on and off the track. TWG, combined with General Motors, allows us to rethink the norm and introduce the team in bold new ways. Debuting our race livery during a globally televised championship broadcast challenges convention and brings Cadillac Formula 1 to a global audience. Paired with this special-edition testing livery designed by the GM Global Design studios, we’re honouring automotive heritage while looking ahead as we build toward the 2026 season.”
The monochrome concept creates a striking, premium look and connects to a modern interpretation of the iconic Cadillac crest and shield, which anchors the design across the car. The livery drapes a large Cadillac crest over the rear to disguise aero surfaces and showcase Cadillac’s arrival on the global sporting stage. The design presents a Cadillac-precision geometric pattern vertically along the car, in a gloss-and-matte sequence that helps disguise the bodywork while reflecting the brand’s DNA.
Clean line work and restrained colour blocking support a technical, future-focused aesthetic that matches Cadillac’s performance ambitions at the top level of global motorsport. The design also honours the shared commitment on both sides of the Atlantic by incorporating the names of founding members of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team from the United States and the UK.
The Cadillac Formula 1 Team will unveil its official 2026 Formula 1 race livery on 8 February and give fans their first look at the design that will compete throughout the season.
The team revealed the Special Edition testing livery at Hudson’s Detroit building to honour Cadillac’s profound legacy in the city. The new GM global headquarters sits only a few miles from Cadillac’s original Detroit headquarters and links the brand’s storied past with its Formula 1 future.
Excitement continues to build ahead of the Barcelona Shakedown, the race livery reveal, and the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Cadillac’s Formula 1 debut on the Formula 1 grid marks a landmark moment for American motorsport on the global stage, and it positions the Cadillac Formula 1 Team at the centre of a new chapter in F1 racing.
