General Motors unveiled Cadillac's Formula 1 livery during a Super Bowl commercial on February 8, but the ad quickly led to a $1.5 million lawsuit from director Michael Bay alleging breach of contract and fraud. The reveal highlights the team's preparations for its 2026 debut, amid tempered expectations for early performance. Cadillac's CEO emphasized a long-term focus over immediate points.
Cadillac, entering Formula 1 as the 11th team in 2026, revealed its black-and-white asymmetric livery in a minute-long commercial aired during the Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 8. The ad, which cost up to $20 million for the slot, drew an audience of over 130 million viewers and compared the car's development to the space race, featuring snippets of President John F. Kennedy's 1961 speech on the moon landing. A replica of the car was displayed in Times Square that evening.
Within 24 hours, before the ad aired, Hollywood director Michael Bay filed a $1.5 million lawsuit in Los Angeles on February 6, claiming the commercial used his ideas without payment. Bay, known for films like Transformers and Armageddon, alleged breach of contract and fraud. A Cadillac F1 spokesperson stated that the team had discussed directing the ad with Bay after two meetings, but he could not meet the timeline, and the concept was already developed. The ad was directed by Sam Piling instead. CEO Dan Towriss expressed respect for Bay and confidence in an amicable resolution, noting all creative work predated discussions with him.
The reveal follows an earlier shakedown livery presentation at Cadillac's Detroit headquarters in January. For its 2026 debut at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Cadillac will use customer Ferrari powertrains and fields drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas. Towriss downplayed points as an arbitrary target, focusing on beating rivals on track, development rate, and long-term success. He expects the team to lag in aerodynamics initially but anticipates rapid progress amid new regulations on tires, chassis, and power units.
Perez emphasized avoiding a last-place finish, stating, “We will definitely be very disappointed to finish last. We know we will not win the championship for sure, but we definitely want to make a lot of progress and beat a couple of teams.” Bottas added he is prepared for a tough start. The team completed a shakedown on January 16, 164 laps in Barcelona, and a filming day in Bahrain on February 9, prioritizing reliability.
Challenges include a potential Mercedes power unit advantage from a controversial interpretation of compression ratio rules, affecting four teams: Mercedes, McLaren, Williams, and Alpine. Towriss noted ongoing dialogue among manufacturers, with unanimous views outside Mercedes, expecting resolution via the FIA and no advantages persisting into 2027.