Cadillac’s long road to Formula 1 just hit its loudest milestone yet. On a grey and windswept Friday at Silverstone, the American marque finally let its 2026 challenger breathe fire, rolling out its first-ever F1 car for a closely guarded shakedown.
As Formula 1 prepares to welcome an 11th team in 2026, Cadillac chose the sport’s spiritual home to conduct a filming day that doubled as a systems check for its brand-new machine.
Sergio Perez was entrusted with the honour of the first laps, putting the car through its paces as cameras rolled and engineers held their breath.
Joining him at the circuit were Valtteri Bottas and reserve driver Zhou Guanyu, though track action proved limited. The priority was clear: get the car running, gather data, and keep everything else under wraps.
Cadillac did tease fans with a short clip of the car on track – just enough to confirm it’s alive, and to offer a tantalising first taste of the Ferrari-supplied power unit’s engine note. Everything else? Locked down tighter than a qualifying lap at Monaco.
Lockdown at Silverstone
If Cadillac wanted secrecy, it went all in. Phone cameras around the garage were reportedly covered with stickers to prevent leaks, with only the team’s own film crew cleared to capture the moment.
Zhou even shared a video of himself in Cadillac colours while carefully keeping the car out of frame – a subtle reminder that the real reveal is still being saved.
The first lap of something bigger. pic.twitter.com/QCOcF7RoGt
— Cadillac Formula 1 Team (@Cadillac_F1) January 16, 2026
That unveiling is expected to come in dramatic fashion via a Super Bowl advert next month, timed just ahead of Formula 1’s first Bahrain pre-season test.
Even so, a handful of distant images from inside the Silverstone garages have already found their way onto social media, proving that total secrecy in F1 remains a fantasy.
©Cadillac
The day itself wasn’t entirely smooth. Early running was delayed by reported technical hiccups, and once the car did take to the track, classic Silverstone weather added another layer of difficulty.
Still, the important box was ticked: the engine fired, the car moved under its own power, and Cadillac officially became an on-track F1 team.
"Today was really an amazing day," commented Perez. "Everyone should feel incredibly proud to complete our first laps as a team.
"Each and every person has worked so hard to get to this moment and it was emotional to be part of motorsport history. We can, and should, all enjoy, but it’s absolutely fired me up for more. I just want to get back in and get mileage – this is just the start."
The shakedown mirrors a path already taken by another 2026 newcomer, Audi, which ran its first rebranded Sauber car during a filming day in Barcelona last week.
Cadillac F1 team boss Graeme Lowdon and consultant Pat Symonds at Silverstone on Friday.
Cadillac F1 team boss Graeme Lowdon and consultant Pat Symonds at Silverstone on Friday.Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon added: "Today represents countless hours of hard work, commitment and belief from everyone involved in the team. It shows the progress we’re continuing to make in a short space of time.
"It’s been a great opportunity for the team to gel in a live garage environment, verify car systems and resolve any initial issues. But it’s just the beginning of the road; we now turn our attention to pre-season testing in just a few weeks’ time, which will provide even more opportunity to learn."
Like Audi, Cadillac was restricted to 200km and mandated to use Pirelli tyres different from those that will appear in testing and racing.
But rules and restrictions mattered little on Friday. What counted was symbolism. On a damp Silverstone circuit, with a few curious eyes peering from behind fences and phone cameras taped shut, Cadillac finally turned anticipation into reality – and Formula 1’s future got a little louder.
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook
