Cadillac unveils Formula 1 livery in Super Bowl advertisement for 2026 debut

Cadillac revealed its inaugural Formula 1 car livery during a Super Bowl advertisement Sunday, marking a high-profile debut for the American manufacturer's entry into the sport's 2026 season.

The advertisement aired during the fourth quarter of the Seattle Seahawks-New England Patriots matchup at Levi's Stadium in California, reaching approximately 127.7 million American viewers. The 30-second spot featured a cinematic presentation centered on a 1962 speech by former President John F. Kennedy about the nation's space effort, with the edited quote: "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard. That challenge is one that we are willing to accept ... and one which we intend to win."

The livery itself features a distinctive split design with black on one side of the car and white on the other. The chassis name remains undisclosed. Cadillac, backed by American car giant General Motors, is becoming the 11th team on the Formula 1 grid.

The team coordinated a multiday activation in New York's Times Square, where a replica of the car was displayed in an opaque box beginning Friday. The box defrosted after the Super Bowl concluded, revealing the car to crowds gathered at the location.

According to team principal Graeme Lowdon, the Super Bowl represented a strategic moment to introduce the team to the broadest possible American audience. Dan Towriss, CEO of Cadillac F1, stated that "the Super Bowl is one of the rare moments in which sport and narration fuse." The advertisement investment totaled between 8 and 15 million dollars, depending on the source.

The team will use Ferrari engines for the 2026 season. Cadillac's driver lineup includes Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, both bringing prior Formula 1 experience to the new outfit.