Cadillac swaps monochrome for stars and stripes at Silverstone to mark 250 years of American independence

Cadillac F1 will race in a full-colour stars-and-stripes livery at the British Grand Prix this weekend, ditching its signature monochrome scheme to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence from Great Britain.

The updated MAC-26 features red, white and blue across both cars, with stars-and-stripes iconography on the front wing and engine cover. The patriotic theme extends beyond the cars themselves — garage dressing, driver helmets and team kit at Silverstone will all carry the revised look for Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.

The timing is deliberate. Saturday’s sprint race and qualifying for the British GP fall on 4 July, the date on which Americans mark the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by Congress in 1776. Cadillac becomes the third team to run a special livery this weekend, following home outfits McLaren and Williams — though where those two are celebrating their home race, Cadillac’s design carries a pointed historical contrast, celebrating independence from the very country hosting the event.

“The 4th of July weekend is a moment for us to show our continued pride in representing the United States on the global stage of F1,” said Dan Towriss, CEO of Cadillac Formula 1 Team Holdings. “We want to use it as an opportunity to allow new communities to discover the sport and share our passion.”

Cadillac made its F1 debut earlier this season at the Australian Grand Prix and came close to scoring its first championship points at Monaco, where Perez narrowly missed out. The Mexican driver is looking to give the team — and its American fanbase — a milestone to celebrate this weekend.

“Silverstone will be a tricky event and it looks like high temperatures again, but we have a lot of experience and resilience in this team to find the way forward,” Perez said. “I’m looking forward to the weekend and hope to be able to give our American fans another reason to celebrate the 4th of July.”