Explained: Why Cadillac has switched up its F1 livery mid-season

Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon has explained the Formula 1 newcomer’s decision to switch up its livery mid-way through the 2026 season. 

Ahead of its debut campaign in F1, Cadillac launched a unique split black-and-white livery design which was revealed in a flashy commercial during the Super Bowl halftime show. 

However, at the Miami Grand Prix, Cadillac’s first race on home soil, its MAC-26 was decked in a predominantly white design featuring stars and stripes as a nod to the team’s American roots. 

A one-off livery was also used at Silverstone, before Cadillac rocked up to this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix with the split livery designer no longer present on its car. 

“We’ve had quite a few liveries already,” Lowdon explained when asked about the change on Friday at Spa-Francorchamps. “We launched the asymmetric livery during the Super Bowl halftime show, which we thought was just another way of showing that the team wants to approach Formula 1 a little bit differently.

“We said we would try and bring a few different things to Formula 1. I think that was a really positive move, and we ran that livery for a while. We then ran a livery in Miami, which was really well received by the fans, and we took account of that. 

“The livery we have now is actually quite similar to that Miami livery. Then, in the middle of that, we introduced the livery to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.”

Lowdon believes the decision underlines Cadillac’s approach to how it aims to “push the boundaries” since arriving in F1. 

“As a team if you look at, not just livery changes but if you look at upgrades, I think we’re pretty high up there on the count of upgrades we brought to the car,” he added.

“Again, I think it’s just a reflection of the way we’ve tried to approach the entry into Formula 1. It’s never been about just getting here, it’s always been about trying to get here as a team and do what all the other teams do, which is push the boundaries.

"We’re not just sitting back – that’s upgrading the car or experimenting with the livery. I have to say the fan reaction has been really positive as well.”