Cadillac Unveils Stealthy Monochrome Livery for Barcelona Shakedown

Cadillac, Formula 1's incoming 11th team, has pulled the covers off its first-ever Formula 1 car, sporting a sleek, monochrome livery for the upcoming Barcelona shakedown. The design, featuring a black and silver scheme, serves as a temporary disguise for the car's aerodynamic profile ahead of the 2026 grid entry.

Why it matters:

This marks the first tangible visual representation of General Motors' ambitious entry into Formula 1, pairing American manufacturing might with F1's competitive tradition. By using a "stealth" livery, Cadillac adheres to F1's pre-season protocol of masking technical details while simultaneously building anticipation for a high-profile reveal that targets a massive global audience.

The details:

• Design Philosophy: The one-off livery, presented by GM CEO Mark Reuss in Detroit, utilizes a black and silver palette to obscure the car's aerodynamic shapes. This "camo" approach is standard practice in F1 testing to prevent rivals from analyzing design innovations early on.
• Heritage Touches: While minimalistic, the car features the Cadillac crest and displays the names of the team's founding members from the UK and US bases on the nosecone, honoring the dual-nationality structure of the squad.
• Driver Lineup: The team is set to field a formidable lineup of race winners, with Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez confirmed as the primary drivers for the 2026 season.
• Support Structure: Former Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu has been announced as the reserve driver, while IndyCar standout Colton Herta will compete in F2 to prepare for a potential future seat.

What's next:

The true colors of the Cadillac F1 team will remain under wraps for just a little longer.

• The official 2026 race livery is set to debut on February 8 during a high-profile Super Bowl halftime advertisement, a strategic move to maximize exposure in the US market.
• Following the unveiling, the team will head to Bahrain for the start of official pre-season testing, where the car's performance will finally be put to the test against the established grid.