Cadillac teases imminent announcement with cryptic post ahead of F1 debut

Cadillac has teased an announcement on 5 January 2026 ahead of the American outfit's Formula 1 debut.

Sharing a post on social media, Cadillac wrote, "Reflections of the future," alongside a close-up photo of a cat's eye. In the bottom left of the eye is the number 24, beside the Cadillac logo, and the date 5 January is placed in white at the bottom of the photo.

Cadillac is set to join F1 as the 11th team in 2026 with former Red Bull driver Sergio Perez and former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas as its driver line-up. Former IndyCar driver Colton Herta will serve as a test driver and will also move to Formula 2. 

It comes as no surprise that the cryptic post has got fans talking. The timing of the teaser and the number 24 have led some to question whether Cadillac could sign Zhou Guanyu in some capacity, potentially as another reserve driver. The Chinese driver had served as a reserve driver for Ferrari in 2025, and the Maranello outfit announced this morning that it had parted ways with the 26-year-old. He also races with the number 24.

"Zhou as third driver?" one fan commented, while another added: "Sweetcorn's eyes," referring to Zhou's cat called Sweetcorn.

Fans will have to wait until 5 January to see if their guesses are correct.

The announcement will come ahead of the team's livery reveal, which is set to take place in a TV advert during the Super Bowl on 8 February.

“The Super Bowl is one of the rare moments in American culture where sports, entertainment and storytelling come together,” said Cadillac F1 boss Dan Towriss of the event.

“It gives us a chance to introduce the Cadillac Formula 1 Team on a stage that reflects who we are. We’re proud of our American heritage and we want to show up in a way that feels bold, innovative and distinctly ours.

“This is just the beginning, but it’s a moment I’m incredibly proud of.”