BREAKING: SERGIO PÉREZ TO REMAIN WITH CADILLAC | FORMULA 1

 

F1 US GRAND PRIX: ALL SPECIAL LIVERIES REVEALED

 

Haas US GP special livery
© Haas

A number of teams will use special liveries at the US GP

A number of teams will run special one-off liveries this weekend at the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix.

The US Grand Prix returned to the F1 calendar at the Circuit of the Americas in 2012, with the series last racing in the country in 2007 at Indianapolis before that.

The annual US Grand Prix at COTA has become one of the biggest events on the calendar, particularly since Liberty Media took over ownership of F1 in 2017.

With so much attention on the US Grand Prix now, teams lean into the event with special livery designs. Here are all of the ones confirmed so far.

Haas US GP special livery
© Haas

Haas - Godzilla promotion

The Haas F1 team is one of two American outfits competing at COTA this year.

It will run a one-off livery for the event, though with a theme that has absolutely nothing to do with its home race.

Partnering once again to promote Godzilla Minus Zero, the squad ditches its usual red, white and black colour scheme for a more blue-dominated design.

The livery also features Godzilla on the engine cover. It’s the second time this season Haas has used a Godzilla design, having done so at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Mercedes US GP livery
© Mercedes

Mercedes - MANUFAKTUR

Mercedes has been hot on special liveries lately, running a mint green design at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia as a nod to its title partner Petronas.

For this weekend’s US Grand Prix, the Silver Arrows will tweak its design, rather than overhaul it in the same way Haas has done.

To mark its MANUFAKTUR cross-brand car customisation programme, Mercedes will add dashes of blue to its livery for the COTA race.

George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who could win the championship this weekend, will also sport new race suit designs to go along with the livery.

Cadillac US GP livery
© F1

Cadillac - American West

Cadillac will be making its second visit to its native US this season at the United States Grand Prix, following the Miami round earlier this season.

While Miami was still a home round, this weekend is Cadillac’s first official US Grand Prix as a manufacturer on the F1 grid.

And to mark the occasion, the team is sporting a design inspired by the American West.

The usual white and black colour scheme has been accentuated by embroidery-inspired patterns to resemble stitched clothing.

- Lewis Duncan

BOTTAS ARRIVES IN SINGAPORE AFTER 260-MILES RIDE

Valterri Bottas is closely involved with FNLD GRVL, a cycling race held each summer in his native Finland.
Instagram 

Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas says he was chased by a dog, saw snakes and leapt over a lizard as he cycled from Malaysia to Singapore for this weekend's Grand Prix.

The Finnish driver arrived in Singapore on Wednesday after choosing a 260-mile (419km) bike ride over a flight from last weekend's Formula 1 race in Sepang, outside the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

The 37-year-old began his journey just hours after spinning out of Sunday's chaotic Grand Prix, taking a trip that involved off-road and gravel trails as well as cycling at night.

"I saw some snakes, which I was a little bit worried about, but actually they were pretty chill. They were just doing their thing," said Bottas.

"I saw one cobra, one python just crossing the path in front of me. I saw some of those big lizards that you also see here, one was on the path.

"I had to jump over it on a bike because I saw it last minute. I got chased by one dog, I got stuck behind a group of cows on one small track."

Bottas is an accomplished cyclist and earned a spot at the Gravel World Championships after finishing fifth in his age group at a qualifying event in the Czech Republic during Formula 1's summer hiatus.

Unfortunately for Bottas the World Championships take place this weekend as well, so he will be competing on four wheels instead of two.

When the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was cancelled in 2023, Bottas decided to use the time to compete in a gravel race in Scotland.

Bottas has endured a difficult return to Formula 1 with new team Cadillac this season. He is 22nd in the drivers' standings, is yet to score a point after 16 Grands Prix and has failed to finish eight races.

"The wildest part was the riding at night in the jungle. The noise in there, your mind starts to play games," added Bottas.

"'What is out there? Who knows what is out there?' But then you just need to crack on and keep going."

- Mike Peter

ALL THE F1 BRITISH GP SPECIAL LIVERIES UNVEILED SO FAR

The 2026 British Grand Prix should again prove a popular occasion for special liveries among Formula 1 teams.

While just three of the 11 teams are registered as British, the majority of the squads are either de facto UK-based or at least part-based there, and usually not far from British GP venue Silverstone.

Here are the British GP-specific colour schemes unveiled thus far.

McLaren

McLaren's Silverstone design showcases the partnership with its major sponsor Google and specifically Google's AI tool Gemini.

But it references a specific car from the past, the white-and-green McLaren M2B campaigned by team founder Bruce McLaren in 1966.

Cadillac

Though Britain was...a relevant party in the historical event in question, Cadillac's special colour scheme for Silverstone is not British-themed.

Instead, the American team will deploy a stars-and-stripes USA colour scheme to celebrate Independence Day, July 4 - which will align with qualifying day and which this year marks 250 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

Williams

Williams's Silverstone livery is a minor update to its primary 2026 colour scheme.

The British GP version of the FW48 will feature a "Union Jack-inspired" palette on the side of the nose structure - and also on the team kit and racesuits.

- The Race Team 

FORMULA 1 CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

 

CADILLAC F1 MAKES HISTORY WITH CASSIDY TOWRISS

Cadillac is the first American-owned team in modern history to enter Formula 1, ending a half-century drought. Behind this milestone moment is Cassidy Towriss, and for her designing an F1 car isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a strategic catalyst for how a new American team introduces itself to the world.

Towriss is shaping a livery and helping to define what an American presence in Formula 1 looks and feels like in a global arena long dominated by European sensibilities. The FQ spoke with her to talk about pride, pressure, Detroit, design, and what it takes to build something that lasts. Read more: https://www.thefemalequotient.com/cadillac-historic-f1-entry/

CADILLAC UNVEIL SHAKEDOWN LIVERY

Cadillac unveil their special livery for the pre-season Barcelona Shakedown! 🎨👀

This one-off monochrome design features the names of the founding members of the team, displayed on the nose, ahead of their 2026 livery being unveiled on February 8 👊

- F1

ZHOU JOINS CADILLAC AS OFFICIAL RESERVE DRIVER

 

DAVID COULTHARD DELIVERS INSTANT FOUR-WORD VERDICT AFTER CADILLAC SIGN VALTTERI BOTTAS AND SERGIO PEREZ

Credit: Bryn Lennon - Formula 1/Formula 1/Andrea Diodato/NurPhoto/Simon Galloway/LAT Images for Formula E via Getty Images

Cadillac have finally ended the speculation around their first F1 driver line-up by announcing Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas. Both drivers will make comebacks in their mid-30s.

Perez lost his Red Bull seat at the end of last season via a pay-off. He’d spent four years at Milton Keynes but, while there was always an element of inconsistency, he truly unravelled in 2024.

Bottas, who used to go up against Perez at Mercedes, had already dropped into the lower midfield with Sauber. Both he and teammate Zhou Guanyu were axed at the end of a four-point campaign.

As it stands, Cadillac will have the oldest line-up in Formula 1 next year. Both drivers are contracted for multiple seasons, which indicates that the team don’t see the moves as risky.

David Coulthard calls Cadillac’s F1 driver line-up ‘perfect’

David Coulthard is a Red Bull ambassador, which makes him a former colleague of Perez. He was among the first big names to react when Cadillac announced their line-up on Instagram.

Coulthard wrote that Graeme Lowdon and co. had made a ‘perfect driver line-up’ in addition for their first season. Between them, Bottas and Perez have won 16 Grands Prix.

For reference, only McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes boast two race-winning drivers. Cadillac expect to be at the back next year, but these two drivers can help them operate like a top team.

Coulthard’s counterpart Martin Brundle agrees that Cadillac have formed a ‘great line-up’. He did warn, though, that the veteran duo will have to manage some ‘early frustrations’.

Kimi Antonelli reacts to Mercedes colleague Valtteri Bottas landing Cadillac drive

Like the rest of the teams, Cadillac will make their 2026 ‘debut’ behind closed doors in Barcelona. This will relieve some of the pressure surrounding a brand-new set-up.

Reports have already claimed that Bottas could take part in a TPC run, using an old Ferrari, to sharpen up the team’s mechanics and engineers. Theoretically, there would be nothing stopping the free agent Perez from getting involved, either.

Ferrari will supply Cadillac’s engine for their first few years of their existence. They then plan to introduce their own power unit and become a fully-fledged works team, although their original drivers may have retired by then.

Kimi Antonelli has congratulated Bottas, who has mentored him at Mercedes this season. He wishes the Finn good luck on his ‘next adventure’.

- David Comerford

WHY CADILLAC WILL USE RIVAL'S CAR FOR F1 TESTING DEBUT

The Cadillac team will conduct on-track Formula 1 testing this year using a car supplied by another team as it ramps up preparations for its debut in 2026. 

Sergio Perez, who was officially confirmed today as a Cadillac race driver for next year, says “there are some plans with the team to test [a] Formula 1 car before the end of the year".

Valtteri Bottas, who has also been announced as his team-mate, is under contract to Mercedes, so will continue to conduct reserve driver duties for the rest of the year, meaning it’s Perez who will primarily be available for test running in ’25. 

Cadillac will not have a car of its own available until pre-season testing begins in late January next year, but it is permitted to run a car provided by another team.

Although Cadillac has not confirmed what machinery it will use, it would be logical for it to run a Ferrari under TPC [testing of previous cars, which permits the use of 2022-2024 F1 machinery] regulations. 

While beneficial for Perez, who has been out of F1 since the end of last season, it is primarily of value to help the team’s preparations.

It will be part of what’s internally called the ‘race ready’ programme, designed to get Cadillac as sharp as possible ahead of its debut in Australia next March, which is currently focused on race weekends in terms of simulated running. 

“We don’t have a TPC car or a current car that we can operate, but we are already simulating race events,” said team principal Graeme Lowdon when asked by The Race about testing plans. 

“The next one that we're doing is Monza, and we simulate it as if it is a complete race, from start to finish with full integration of everybody in the team from Thursday all the way through to Sunday.

“We’ve got a very clear plan in our build-up to Melbourne next year and it doesn't involve just simulating races, which is really, really important. The last one we simulated, we probably had 50 or 60 engineering people fully involved over the whole weekend, both in the UK and the US, all getting used to working with each other.

"And we need to be in a position that when we get to Melbourne, we're not in a position where people are hearing voices for the first time, or working with each other for the first time, or anything else like that.

“And we’ll be introducing car testing as well this year. Obviously, we have to work with others to be able to do that, but there's that's perfectly allowable under the regulations.

“We just have a plan to steadily build up so that when we get to Melbourne, we hit the ground running, and the drivers themselves play such an important part in it. And the one thing I can tell you, just spending time with them is, I don't want to put words in their mouths, but there's a huge amount of enthusiasm to get going.”

The extent of the on-track programme is not clear, but in keeping with Lowdon's intention to prepare the team it is likely to involve a full complement of operational trackside personnel, or as close to that as possible, with the intention to simulate parts of the race weekend.

- Edd Straw, Scott Mitchell-Malm

WHO SHOULD CADILLAC SIGN AS TEAM-MATE TO VALTTERI BOTTAS FOR THE 2026 F1 SEASON?

Cadillac has secured the signature of Valtteri Bottas, but who should the American team sign next?

XPBimages

Cadillac has signed Valtteri Bottas to form the first half of its F1 driver line-up ahead of the American squad's debut season in 2026.

That news was broken by RacingNews365 and Formula.hu. Now, as the motorsport world waits for the General Motors-backed project to formally announce the Finnish driver, who should be partnered with the 10-time grand prix winner.

There is a plethora of options open to Cadillac. Will it look to add more experience to its fledgling team alongside the 35-year-old, or will it stump for youth to give its pairing a more balanced blend?

There is plenty of proven F1 talent - young and older - available to the team, including some big names currently sitting on the sidelines, like Sergio Perez and Kevin Magnussen.

Whilst the latter is racing this year in endurance, would he welcome another comeback to the so-called pinnacle of motorsport?

Then there are the tested, but not yet fully proven drivers, such as Mick Schumacher and Zhou Guanyu.

Or, will Cadillac go for a complete unknown, be it a junior or reserve driver, like Jak Crawford, Alex Dunne or Felipe Drugovich, or even an IndyCar champion in Alex Palou?

There is also Yuki Tsunoda as a viable option. His seat at Red Bull is not fully secure, and he is out of contract at the end of the current campaign anyway - would the Japanese driver relish a change or scenery?

- Samuel Coop

MCLAREN MAKE WITHDRAWAL DECISION WITH MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT EXPECTED - REPORT

McLaren are one of the most successful and respected teams in F1 history

Reigning F1 Constructors’ Champions McLaren have decided to withdraw from the all-electric Formula E category, it has been claimed.

It comes just weeks after the manufacturer announced plans to enter the World Endurance Championship, featuring the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours race, from 2027.

McLaren set to exit Formula E after Le Mans return announcement

McLaren have had a presence in Formula E since rebranding the former Mercedes team ahead of the 2022/23 season.

The team, which is supported by Saudi Arabian firm NEOM, has had limited success since McLaren’s involvement, winning just a single race over the last three seasons.

Sam Bird, a Formula E regular and a former Mercedes F1 tester, and Taylor Barnard are currently racing for the team.

Lando Norris vs Oscar Piastri: McLaren head-to-head scores for F1 2025

A report by The Race has claimed that Zak Brown, the McLaren chief executive, informed team principal Ian James that the manufacturer will end their support of the team ahead of the 2026/27 season.

The decision was reportedly communicated at the Jeddah E-Prix in February, an event that took place on a heavily modified version of the circuit which hosted last week’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

McLaren’s decision to withdraw has left James with the task of finding ‘alternative commercial, naming and manufacturer’ partners ahead of the 2026/27 era, which will mark the beginning of Formula E’s so-called ‘Gen4’ era featuring new cars.

The news of McLaren’s expected Formula E exit comes a fortnight after the Woking-based team announced that they will enter the WEC, the top tier of endurance racing, in 2027.

McLaren previously won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995, with the WEC welcoming a swarm of new manufacturers since the hypercar rules came into force.

McLaren’s F1 rivals Ferrari, Aston Martin and Alpine currently compete in the hypercar class, along with Porsche, Toyota, BMW, Peugeot and F1 2026 entrants Cadillac.

In a statement confirming McLaren’s WEC entry, Brown declared that the team hope to win all three races comprising motorsport’s triple crown – the Monaco Grand Prix, Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500 – in the same year from 2027.

He said: “We’re back to the World Endurance Championship and competing for the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall win.

“In 2027, we will be entering the Hypercar class – we’re very excited.

“Thirty years ago, we won on our debut at Le Mans, in a car that wasn’t even supposed to race, and that sealed for us being the only team in history to have ever won the triple crown: the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“Now, with this exciting news, we’re going to try and win all three of these big races in the same year.

“We’re up for it, we’re ready, we’ll see you at the track.”

McLaren are expected to provide more details of their WEC plans at this year’s Le Mans race in June, with outgoing Jaguar Formula E team principal James Barclay expected to lead the endurance team.

- Oliver Harden

CADILLAC TO USE OWN F1 POWER UNITS FROM 2029, FIA CONFIMS

Russ O’Blenes, Cadillac

General Motors will enter Formula 1 as a power unit manufacturer in 2029, the FIA has announced.

The US car making giant will join the championship with its own team, Cadillac, next year. It has already agreed a deal to use power units supplied by Ferrari.

GM previously confirmed it had begun work on a power unit for F1’s new regulations which will come into force next year, but had not set a date for its introduction.

The sport’s governing body has now confirmed GM will introduce its power unit in the fourth year after F1’s next engine formula is introduced.

“Welcoming GM Performance Power Units LLC as an approved power unit supplier for the championship starting in 2029 marks another step in the global expansion of Formula 1 and highlights the growing interest from world-class automotive manufacturers like General Motors,” said FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

“Their dedication to innovation, sustainability, and competition is fully aligned with the FIA’s vision for the future of our sport. It also strengthens our commitment to making motorsport more accessible and inclusive worldwide—welcoming new manufacturers, advancing technology, and connecting with a broader, more diverse fan base.”

The development of GM’s F1 power unit is being steered by Russ O’Blenes (pictured), CEO of GM Performance Power Units. The company is due to move into a new building to begin construction of its F1 power unit in 2027.

Ben Sulayem recently cast doubt over the future of F1’s new engine regulations after stating the sport should consider switching to normally aspirated V10 engines. A meeting between the FIA, Formula One management and engine manufacturers two weeks ago in Bahrain resulted in a commitment to the planned rules cycle, meaning the incoming hybrids are expected to remain in use until at least 2030.

- Keith Collantine

CADILLAC JOINS THE PRESTIGIOUS FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX

 

MOHAMMED BEN SULAYEM | FIA PRESIDENT | APPROVAL OF TEAM CADILLAC TO JOIN FORMULA 1

 

GENERAL MOTORS SETS UP NEW POWER UNITS DIVISION FOR FORMULA 1 TEAM

General Motors has set up a new division to create power units for the team it intends to enter into F1 next year.

It has already announced a deal to use Ferrari power units from next year as part of a “multi-year” arrangement, indicating it would begin using its own power units in 2028 at the earliest.

A statement issued on Thursday by General Motors and TWG Motorsport said the newly-formed GM Performance Power Units LLC will “put Cadillac on the path to being a ‘full works’ team — building Formula 1 vehicles and power units — by the end of the decade.”,

GM intends to open a dedicated facility for its Performance Power Units division near its technical centre in Charlotte next year.

Russ O’Blenes will be the CEO of the new venture. He has had a long career in power unit development for road and racing cars and previously worked at GM’s Performance and Racing Center in Michigan.

“Russ brings vast experience from many championship racing series, and has outstanding technical expertise, including spearheading our hybrid IMSA Cadillac and Corvette C8.R engines that are proven winners,” said Mark Reuss, president of GM. “In F1, we’re going to demonstrate GM’s engineering and technology capabilities on a global stage, and Russ is the right choice to lead the power unit team that will make it happen.”

O’Blenes said he is “truly excited to have the opportunity to build and lead the team that will bring an American-built F1 power unit to the grid.

“GM PPU is currently ramping up its team and is hiring in all areas of the business.”

Formula One Management confirmed in November it had reached an “agreement in principle” for the Cadillac-branded team to join the series as a new, 11th team next year.

- Keith Collantine

STATEMENT ON GENERAL MOTORS APPLICATION TO JOIN FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2026

 

TEAM JOTA JOINS FORCES WITH CADILLAC

 

Hertz Team Jota 🤝 Cadillac 

The British squad will field a pair of Cadillac V-Series.R LMDhs in the WEC Hypercar class in 2025 ✅ 

FULL STORY ✍️: https://www.autosport.com/wec/news/jota-announces-cadillac-switch-for-2025-wec/10642542/

MARIO ANDRETTI OFFENDED BY F1 REJECTION,

AP Photo 

 LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Mario Andretti said Friday he was deeply offended by the language Formula One Management used in denying his family and General Motors the opportunity to join the global motorsports series.

The 1978 Formula 1 world champion posted on social media he was “devastated” when F1 rejected Andretti and General Motors in late January in their application to expand the current grid to accommodate a two-car American team.

The F1 rejection came after a six-month review of Andretti's application and the reasoning for the denial was taken personally by both Mario and Michael Andretti, as well as GM, which plans to partner with Andretti in F1 under its Cadillac brand.

Among F1's claims were that it did not believe Andretti would be a competitive team; that the Andretti name does not bring the value to the series that Michael Andretti believes it would; and that getting on the grid in the next two years would be a challenge Andretti has never faced before.

“I was offended, actually. I don’t think we deserved that, to be honest with you,” Mario Andretti said Friday at the Long Beach Grand Prix. “It’s a big investment in the series, and you’d think they’d welcome that. Even the value of the series is more valuable with 11 teams than 10, so I don’t know. Tell us what is really wrong.”

As for F1 questioning GM's ability to provide an engine for the new team, only to also ask GM to find a team other than Andretti to partner with, Andretti took further exception.

“That’s another offensive statement there. We’re the ones that worked it out, and GM said it over and over, ‘Andretti or nothing,’ and then (F1) still tried to take it,” Andretti said. “There’s an undercurrent there that I don’t understand, quite honestly, but if they want blood, well, I’m ready.”

Andretti then pointed to his forearm and pretended to slice a vein to show his commitment to the F1 effort.

Andretti Cadillac last week opened a new facility for its F1 operation in Silverstone, England. The 48,000-square foot shop is operating and the team and GM maintain that “work continues at pace” on its attempt to enter F1. After the facility opening, the Andretti leadership group had one of its first official meetings with FOM — an email request late last year from F1's governing body to meet with Andretti went to an Andretti spam folder — and Andretti said the groups agreed to meet again next month at the Miami Grand Prix.

“We only had one meeting with them. That’s a problem. We haven’t had enough. I think that’s why I really welcome our next meeting. You know, let’s sit down,” Andretti said. "There were some opportunities missed along the way, but we’ve got to look forward, not back. I’m remaining hopeful because we never stop working towards this. It was made clear that our work is at pace, and as you can see we’re not just talking. We’re putting brick and mortar together. We’ve shown that with the team that already has a place in Silverstone.

“We’re trying to say ‘We’ll do whatever you ask of us. We’ll do whatever is there. Now, if you think of something, you tell us,'” Andretti continued. “But they haven’t told us yet except for some excuses like, ‘Oh we don’t want you coming on, we don’t want you to be embarrassed.’ But we don’t want to embarrass ourselves, and the fact is General Motors has made it so clear that they're excited about this project. They have a long-term commitment there, and I don’t know what else we can do.

“The rules say that 11 or 12 teams is legal,” said Andretti, who added the team is committed to fielding entries in F2 and F3 to facilitate some American talents. “We’re all-in, and I don’t know what else to do.”

Andretti, who won 12 F1 races and one championship, is considered one of the greatest drivers of all time and said he's treated with respect at F1 events. He doesn't understand why the same courtesy is not extended to his son, Michael, who ran 13 races in one ill-fated, shortened 1993 season. Michael Andretti's mark was made in American open-wheel racing, and like his father, he's considered among the greatest.

“I still don’t know what the reasons are because let’s be reasonable. We’re all racers. We all are professionals. We’re trying to advance the cause for all of us,” Andretti said. “I’ve never been disrespected as a person face-to-face, but it’s been at a distance, and I don’t think we deserve that.”

Andretti said the team goal is to be on the F1 grid in 2026 and when they told that to FOM, series representatives said they had been under the assumption the team wanted to be on the grid in 2025. Andretti said 2026 remains the goal even though this process began in 2021 with Andretti's failed attempt to purchase Sauber.

He also said that F1's refusal to admit Andretti is “definitely about the financial side, no question about it,” in that the existing 10 teams don't want to share any of the revenue with a newcomer.

- JENNA FRYER

FIA BOSS SULAYEM WANTS MORE F1 TEAMS AND FEWER RACES

Reuters 

Formula One needs more teams and fewer races and should welcome Michael Andretti's entry bid as good for business and the spirit of the sport, according to FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

The Emirati told Reuters at the Qatar Grand Prix he was optimistic the American's planned 11th team with General Motors' Cadillac brand would make it to the starting grid despite opposition from existing competitors.

The governing FIA announced last week it had approved Andretti's application and sent it on to Liberty Media-owned Formula One Management (FOM) for commercial discussions.

Those detailed talks could take some time.