The Cadillac Formula 1 Team arrives at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin for the United States Grand Prix, bringing minor floor and cooling upgrades for its MAC-26 car. This event marks the team’s second home race of its debut 2026 season.
The United States Grand Prix, round 18 of the championship, is scheduled from October 23 to 25, 2026. Practice sessions will take place on Friday, October 23, followed by qualifying on Saturday, October 24, and the race on Sunday, October 25.
Team Principal Marcin Budkowski confirmed the technical upgrades will be evaluated during the weekend. Cadillac aims to build on its performance in Singapore, where both cars completed the race.
American test driver Colton Herta will participate in Friday’s FP1 session, replacing Sergio Pérez. This marks Herta’s second mandatory rookie practice allocation and his final scheduled F1 appearance for the 2026 season.
Herta, Cadillac’s designated test driver for 2026, holds the record as the youngest IndyCar winner at COTA in 2019. He has secured nine victories and 16 pole positions in his 116 NTT INDYCAR SERIES starts.
Pérez, a regular Cadillac driver, has competed in 12 United States Grands Prix at Austin, achieving points finishes 10 times and a podium in 2021.
“Austin is always one of my favorite weekends of the season, but coming here this year as a Cadillac Formula 1 driver makes it even more meaningful,” Pérez stated. “I’ll be supporting Colton during FP1 on Friday, taking on board his feedback, then the focus for us will be dialing in the balance quickly in FP2 and putting ourselves in position to fight hard on Sunday.”
Valtteri Bottas, the other primary Cadillac driver, has contested 11 races at COTA, notably winning from pole position for Mercedes in 2019.
“COTA is a circuit I always look forward to returning to. I have great memories here, especially winning from pole position back in 2019 after a tough battle,” Bottas commented. “We showed decent resilience in Singapore to get both cars across the line, and the goal this weekend is to build on that progress at our home race.”
Cadillac has also unveiled a special Texas-themed livery for the United States Grand Prix. The design, led by General Motors Performance design manager Vincent Traina, incorporates elements such as the Austin skyline, a track map, stars, cacti, and an upward-facing horseshoe.
The MAC-26 livery features a black-and-white scheme with Western-inspired decorations, reflecting the culture of the American West. This special design was developed in collaboration with GM Design Studios.
Marcin Budkowski assumed the role of Team Principal on August 12, 2026, succeeding Graeme Lowdon. His appointment was part of a planned leadership transition for the team.
Budkowski emphasized the significance of racing on home soil for the team, which operates across facilities in Indianapolis, Silverstone, and Charlotte.
The 2026 season marks Cadillac’s debut in Formula 1. The team has participated in 17 Grands Prix, securing a highest race finish of 13th and a highest grid position of 16th, without scoring points to date.
Pérez acknowledged the MAC-26’s current performance limitations but expressed optimism for future development, citing the recent addition of Mike Elliott as technical director.
COTA presents specific engineering challenges, including high-speed corners in Sector 1 demanding stability and a slower final sector requiring traction. The circuit’s uneven surface adds further complexity.
