Formula 1 News: Cadillac F1 makes its pitch as US team with Super Bowl ad (2nd Update)

Cadillac are set to spend at least $8 million on the livery reveal during the Super Bowl halftime advertisements!

Team Principal Graeme Lowdon on why the team chose to do it during the Super Bowl:

“Launching a livery is a proud moment, and here’s an opportunity to do it to try and reach as many people as possible,” he said.

“It’s a cool thing, we want people to see the car and we want them to get curious about the team.

“We’ve often said that we don’t want people to just follow what we’re doing. We want them to come and join us on this journey of bringing a new team in.

(GMM) Cadillac will reveal its first Formula 1 livery during a Super Bowl television commercial – an extraordinarily expensive way to introduce the new US team ahead of its 2026 debut.

Bloomberg reports that the livery will appear in Cadillac’s Super Bowl spot on February 8, 2026, with the brand confirming the plan on social media.

“The livery is set,” Cadillac declared. “See you Super Bowl Sunday.”

A Super Bowl ad is among the priciest broadcast slots in global sport and entertainment. Recent 30-second placements have cost around USD 7-8 million, with longer cinematic-style spots – such as the 60-second to two-minute formats Cadillac is expected to use – pushing well beyond USD 12-20 million in total production and airtime costs.

Cadillac F1 CEO Dan Towriss said the team wanted an unveiling that matched its identity.

“The Super Bowl is one of those rare moments in American culture where sports, entertainment, and storytelling come together,” he said.

“We are proud of our American heritage and want to present ourselves in a way that feels bold, innovative, and distinctly ours,” he said.
“This is just the beginning, but it’s a moment I’m incredibly proud of.”

The Andretti family – whose original project laid the foundation for Cadillac’s F1 entry – is also tracking the buildup closely. Mario Andretti told Marca the team has assembled real experience behind the scenes despite being new on paper.

“There are a lot of people who have been there before,” he said. “Trying to recruit talent is the trick, and we’ve been lucky because we’ve received interest from people who have it.”

But he warned that the first race will be the true test. “How will we perform when next year comes, in Australia – that’s going to be the big question. Everyone will be watching us.”

With sweeping new 2026 regulations arriving, Andretti believes Cadillac is entering F1 at the perfect time.

“If you’re coming in as a new team, now is the best time,” said the 85-year-old. “Everyone starts from scratch with the chassis, the power unit. And with Ferrari, we’ll have an advantage in that regard,” he explained.

“Our team is young, yet very experienced.”

Andretti also hailed Colton Herta’s decision to step down from IndyCar to race in Formula 2 next year – a clear step towards racing in F1 with Cadillac.

“He has to perform, no doubt about it,” he said. “But we have complete confidence in him.

“Making a sacrifice like being at the top in IndyCar and going to Formula 2 shows he still has a burning passion for F1,” he said. It’s going to be interesting to see how his year unfolds, but I believe in his talent.”

Cadillac will become the 11th team on the 2026 Formula 1 grid, the first American-owned team in the sport since Haas entered in 2016 and the first to be backed by a major U.S. manufacturer (General Motors) in F1 history.  Cadillac is running a 2026 Super Bowl ad likely with the message “America is back in Formula 1” narrative, and there is no bigger stage in U.S. media to make that statement than the Super Bowl.

1. Maximum U.S. audience in one moment
The Super Bowl routinely draws 110–120 million American viewers, by far the largest single-night TV audience in the United States. F1’s American growth has been explosive (three U.S. races in 2025, a fourth in 2026 with Chicago rumored), but awareness is still heavily skewed toward existing motorsport and younger demographics. The Super Bowl is the single most efficient way to reach mainstream America in one shot.

2. Official team name and livery debut
GM and Andretti-Cadillac have confirmed that the team will compete under the Cadillac name (not “Andretti Cadillac” or “Andretti Global”). The Super Bowl ad on February 8, 2026, will be the first time the public sees the official 2026 Cadillac F1 livery and hears the team referred to simply as “Cadillac F1 Team.”

3. Driver lineup already locked
Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas are signed for 2026–2028. Both are experienced, popular, and marketable in the U.S. (Pérez via the huge Mexican-American audience, Bottas via personality and existing U.S. fanbase). The ad will feature both drivers.

4. Tie-in with GM’s broader marketing push
General Motors is spending north of $1 billion on the F1 program (power unit development starting 2028, full team entry 2026). The Super Bowl slot is part of a coordinated 2026 Cadillac brand campaign that also includes new road-car launches and an “American luxury performance” repositioning.

5. Slot already purchased
Multiple sources confirmed in November 2025 that GM secured a 60-second slot in the first half of Super Bowl LX (February 8, 2026, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas). Reported cost: approximately $14–15 million.