The Cadillac Formula 1 team has revealed a special stars-and-stripes livery for its debut home race at the Miami Grand Prix on May 1-3. The subtle design builds on the team's black-and-white motif with faded U.S. flag elements, 50 stars on the front wing, stars on the engine cover, and limited red, white, and blue accents including 'USA' on the rear wing. Officials hailed the confident look, but fans have mixed reactions, many calling for more color.
Cadillac is competing in its first Formula 1 world championship season, with its best result so far being 13th place by Valtteri Bottas in China. The team currently sits 10th in the constructors' standings, ahead only of Aston Martin. Its car, the MAC-26 named in tribute to American motorsport icon Mario Andretti, features a standard black-and-white livery unveiled in a $20 million Super Bowl advertisement earlier this year.
For the Miami Grand Prix weekend at Hard Rock Stadium—the team's maiden home event and the second sprint race of the season—Cadillac introduced a patriotic twist. The livery incorporates faded stars and stripes on the engine cover, 50 stars on the front wing, and a red, white, and blue 'USA' background on the rear wing.
Chief brand advisor Cassidy Towriss described it as 'a natural extension and speaks without excess. It's deliberate and confident. This is our first home race, and it mattered to us that fans still recognize what they've come to know. I can’t wait for the crowd to see it on track for the first time. There's no place like home.'
Fan reactions have been mixed. Some praised the clean aesthetic, with one suggesting it for more races, but many criticized the subtlety and lack of vibrant color. A Reddit user wrote, 'If they don't come with an American flag livery with colours and everything for Austin GP, I'll be really disappointed.' Another said, 'One red star and one blue star could have been cool. I know white and black is their thing but a touch of themed colour for the home debut?' Others lamented, 'The lack of colour is so boring. I miss the old days when we had a ton of colour on the grid,' contrasting it with brighter IndyCar designs, or noted, 'It's nice, it's a great base and looks very clean. But it's just very boring. No colour.'
Historically, the best result by an American car at the Miami Grand Prix was Kevin Magnussen's 10th place for Haas in 2023 after qualifying fourth.