F1 fans wanted Cadillac to be more American - here's why

Formula 1 fans have been sharing their reactions online following the reveal of Cadillac’s 2026 car design during Sunday's Super Bowl.

The manufacturer is set to join the championship as the 11th team on the F1 grid and has now shown what its debut Formula 1 car will look like.

The American automotive brand built anticipation last week by using a massive digital display in Times Square that appeared to “thaw” before unveiling the design. This was timed to coincide with a Cadillac advertisement that aired during the Super Bowl half-time break.

Cadillac's car design features a mirrored black and grey design, and is quite similar to McLaren F1 cars from the late 90s, although it's unlikely to be as successful as those Adrian Newey-designed machines.

Now, F1 fans have taken to social media to give their thoughts on the newest F1 team's first ever livery, with some fans criticising it for not being 'American' enough given their history as one of the US's biggest car manufacturers.

Another said: "This ain't it Cadillac. Looks like a Mercedes or an old McLaren from the late 90s/early 00s. Throw some subtle US in there. If you're gonna go black, go ALL black with some hints of colour here and there."

However, one fan did believe that the new car was the epitome of American engineering, saying: "Big American energy, bold launch, serious backing and the fact they’re entering with experienced drivers...need more?"

Another user was not happy with the livery, saying: "This is a weak, two-face livery. Not using the same cursive font on the wing is also a miss. It’s a confused, muted, weak livery that won’t matter because it’ll be at the back anyway," while another said: "Looks like absolute pile of garbage. As if you gave someone access to make it as bad as possible. It's actually worse than Ferrari."

What are Cadillac's goals for 2026?

Despite hiring two of the most experienced F1 racers still competing in Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, Cadillac are expecting to be running plum last in 2026, particularly in the early stages of the season.

However, the hope is that their talented driver lineup can help them to develop the car and get stronger and stronger as an F1 outfit.

Perez and Bottas have 16 grand prix victories between them, and are not going to want to be running at the back of the F1 grid for long.

There is real hope that in 2027, and especially in 2028 when their new power unit partnership with General Motors begins, Cadillac will be more of an established, competitive F1 outfit.

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