Cadillac unveils cowboy-inspired livery for first COTA race
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 20, 2026
Cadillac livery
Cadillac unveiled a cowboy-inspired special livery for the United States Grand Prix in Austin, the team’s first race at Circuit of the Americas, and the look gave its Formula 1 debut in Texas a clear visual identity. The car design was called the MAC-26 and matched Cadillac’s black-and-white paint scheme. Rather than lean on a standard patriotic look, Cadillac said it wanted the Austin car to reflect American West culture in a way that went beyond the usual flags-and-stars treatment. The result tied the team’s newest race weekend to a specific regional style and gave its first visit to the track a distinct theme. Cadillac also said the livery was meant to reinforce the team’s identity during that first trip to the circuit, which made the one-off paint scheme more than a simple special edition. It was a presentation piece built to stand out in a crowded Formula 1 weekend while still fitting the brand’s broader black-and-white image. The team’s choice also fit the timing of its first outing at a track that carries its own personality and history, giving the Austin round a fresh visual story from the start.
MAC-26 design
The MAC-26 carried a mix of details drawn from cowboy clothing and leatherwork, with the design built around Austin-specific imagery and Western cues. Cadillac said the look included the Austin skyline, a track map, 50 stars, cacti and an upward-facing horseshoe, all layered into the car’s black-and-white base. Those elements gave the livery a local feel while keeping the design rooted in the team’s larger concept for the weekend. General Motors designers in Michigan worked with Cadillac’s U.K.-based technical team to develop the livery, which shows how much of the project went into making a special scheme that still worked within the demands of a modern Formula 1 car. The clothing and leatherwork patterns pushed the theme past simple iconography and into something that looked constructed from the textures and shapes associated with the American West. Cadillac’s approach also gave the car a clear identity from every angle, with the skyline and map anchoring the Austin reference while the cacti and horseshoe added smaller touches that sharpened the overall presentation. It was a detailed design, built to connect with the setting and the team’s first appearance there.
Cadillac drivers
Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez were set to wear matching race suits that carried the Austin design, extending the livery beyond the car and into the team’s full race-week look. Cadillac also planned to have Colton Herta drive Friday practice in place of Perez, adding another layer to the team’s Austin weekend. The special scheme marked Cadillac’s third one-off livery of its first Formula 1 season, after earlier special liveries in Miami and Silverstone. That run of designs shows how the team has used race weekends to create distinct visual identities while it settles into the championship. At the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Cadillac was one of Formula 1’s two American teams set to run special liveries, with Haas also planning a Godzilla-themed design for the second time this year. That set up a rare weekend where both U.S.-based teams brought something unique to the grid. Cadillac’s version leaned into the American West rather than a broad patriotic theme, while Haas went in a different direction with its own character-driven look. Together, the two teams turned the Austin round into a showcase for special paint schemes, with Cadillac’s black-and-white MAC-26 positioned as the centerpiece of its first trip to Circuit of the Americas.
