Cadillac Formula 1 Completes First Laps As Its Own Chassis Runs On Track

Cadillac Formula 1 has completed its first on-track laps at Silverstone, with Sergio Perez driving the team’s own chassis for the first time. It marks a defining step in a project years in the making, as Cadillac moves from preparation and planning into live, verifiable execution ahead of its 2026 debut.

Key Points – Cadillac Formula 1 First Laps

• First on-track running of Cadillac’s own Formula 1 chassis
• Sergio Perez completed initial laps during a promotional filming day at Silverstone
• Milestone follows Ferrari-based TPC running and the Detroit shakedown-livery reveal
• Confirms power unit integration, electronics, and core systems are functioning as intended
• Moves the 2026 entry from concept and simulation into execution

The Moment, And Why It Matters Now

This was not Cadillac’s first exposure to Formula 1 running.

But it was the first time the project stood on its own.

Earlier on-track mileage came through Testing of Previous Cars using a blacked-out Ferrari. That phase allowed Cadillac to embed drivers, train engineers, and rehearse live garage procedures without placing an unfinished chassis under load. It was about people and process.

Silverstone was different.

This was the first time a Cadillac Formula 1 car, built to its own architecture, packaging, cooling philosophy, and electronic layout, left the garage and turned a wheel. No legacy chassis. No borrowed reference. Just the culmination of everything built since the programme received approval.

That distinction matters more than the number of laps completed.

From Detroit And Barcelona, Stopping Via Silverstone

This milestone sits within a carefully sequenced timeline.

Earlier this week, Cadillac revealed its Barcelona shakedown livery in Detroit, framing it explicitly as a testing tool rather than a spectacle. That reveal marked the transition from planning and simulation into real-world execution, with the full team shakedown scheduled in Barcelona from January 26 to 30.

Silverstone bridges those two points.

Detroit confirmed intent.
Silverstone confirms function.

Running the car in black reflects the same philosophy behind the Barcelona shakedown programme. This phase is about verification, not visibility. Systems talking to each other. Software behaving under load. Engineers and mechanics operating as a unit once the garage doors open.

A Live Power Unit, And A Quiet Confirmation

There is an important technical takeaway from this first running.

The power unit ran cleanly and without interruption.

Cadillac will use Ferrari power units in 2026, and the Silverstone laps confirm that integration work has reached a functioning baseline. Control electronics, cooling, and packaging operated as expected within a brand-new chassis environment.

This does not speak to performance.

But it does confirm readiness, which is the critical checkpoint for a new entrant at this stage.

Why This Moment Matters For Cadillac’s Driver Group

Early shakedowns are not about speed or comparison. They are about validation. Confirming that systems operate as expected, that procedures work in a live garage environment, and that a newly built car can run cleanly under its own power.

Sergio Perez completed the first laps during the promotional filming day, reflecting the work he has already carried out during the build-up phase, including Ferrari-based Testing of Previous Cars mileage that allowed Cadillac to embed drivers and engineers into Formula 1 operations before its own chassis was ready.

Valtteri Bottas was present for the Silverstone milestone and part of the same operational environment. His Cadillac role formally began in January, having remained a Mercedes reserve driver until that point. That timing shaped how Cadillac structured its early test activity, without defining roles or hierarchy as the programme now moves forward.

Both drivers will have the opportunity to complete further running during the upcoming Barcelona shakedown, where mileage, learning, and development work will expand under more representative conditions.

The Black Car And The Discipline Behind It

The car ran entirely in black, deliberately separating this engineering milestone from the commercial moment to come.

That choice sits within a broader sequence Cadillac has been careful to maintain. Earlier this week in Detroit, the team revealed its Barcelona shakedown livery, a testing-only design that carries the names of the founding members of the programme. That livery is not about branding or visibility. It is an internal marker, acknowledging the engineers and staff who took the project from approval to reality before sponsor surfaces take over.

Silverstone followed the same logic.

This was not a reveal. It was a functional step. The black car ensured focus stayed on system validation, operational flow, and live-track execution, rather than visual identity.

The final 2026 race livery will be revealed during the Super Bowl on February 8, a significantly higher-value exposure window for sponsors and mainstream audiences. By separating first running, shakedown identity, and commercial launch into distinct moments, Cadillac is sequencing attention rather than chasing it.

That discipline is consistent across Detroit, Silverstone, and Barcelona.

What This Confirms About The 2026 Timeline

Most importantly, Silverstone confirms Cadillac is on schedule. The car exists as a complete entity, the engine is live, core systems are functioning as intended, and the team is operating as a cohesive unit. Pre-season testing now becomes the next real examination, where sustained mileage will expose reliability, correlation, and development direction. But for a new team, crossing this threshold matters more than any headline lap time ever could.

Coffee Corner Take

This was not Cadillac’s first Formula 1 running.

It was the realisation of a vision that began long before test days, launch liveries, or timelines were fixed. Years of work aimed at one outcome. Becoming Formula 1’s eleventh team.

After Ferrari-based TPC mileage, the Detroit shakedown-livery reveal, and months of visible preparation across the United States and the United Kingdom, Silverstone was the moment where that long-term ambition finally took physical form. A Cadillac Formula 1 car leaving the garage under its own power. A live engine. Systems behaving as intended.

For the engineers, mechanics, and staff who have carried this project from concept to execution, this was not just another step. It was confirmation that the vision was real.

Nothing here guarantees success.

But for a new entrant, seeing your own car run on track for the first time is the point where belief turns into reality.

And that is the milestone that matters most.