Forget the paddock. The Cadillac Ranch was the place to be during F1 weekend in Austin! And with Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas stopping by, the night delivered plenty of personality.
The Cadillac Formula 1® Team proved it was ready to embrace the Lone Star State, transforming Loro Asian Smokehouse + Bar into The Cadillac Ranch House. The western-inspired home base celebrated the team’s debut season ahead of the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas.
The evening was all about bringing Cadillac’s world beyond the track to life. Think Texas spirit, American automotive heritage, live music, cocktails and a little F1 star power. And, of course, there was a Cadillac twist on one of the most iconic roadside attractions in Texas.
Cadillac Puts Its Own Spin on a Texas Icon
One of the night’s standout installations was Cadillac Ranch Revived, a fresh take on the legendary row of nose-down Cadillacs buried in the ground along Route 66 near Amarillo.
If you’ve ever driven through the Texas Panhandle, you know the original Cadillac Ranch is one of those quintessential Texas stops. It’s been covered in layers of colorful spray paint for decades, and Cadillac brought that same spirit of creativity to Austin.
Guests were invited to grab a marker and leave their own mark on the installation, transforming it into a living mural of art, automotive design and American motorsport.
Jim Beam Brings the Cocktails and the History
No Texas-inspired celebration would be complete without a proper cocktail, and Official Spirits Partner Jim Beam had its own bar serving signature drinks throughout the evening.
On the menu? The Golden Mullet, Jalisco Highball and Jim Beam + Lemonade. And while the cocktails were certainly a highlight, the partnership comes with a little history that makes it even more interesting.
During Prohibition, Jim Beam founder James B. Beam kept his family’s secret yeast recipe safe by driving it home in the front seat of his Cadillac. Nearly a century later, the two American icons are racing together in Formula 1.
Sergio “Checo” Pérez on Austin, Cadillac and the Fans
The evening’s biggest draw was undoubtedly the appearance of Cadillac Formula 1® Team drivers Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas. They stopped by to give everyone an up-close send-off into the team’s home race weekend.
For Pérez, the Austin event was a chance to connect with a crowd that has plenty of reasons to cheer him on.
With a massive Mexican community in Austin and fans traveling from across the region for the United States Grand Prix, the support for Checo is hard to miss.
On stage, Pérez highlighted the energy in Austin and the support he receives from Mexican fans, expressing how much it means to have them behind him as he embarks on this new chapter with Cadillac.
With the team still building its identity on the F1 grid, that connection with fans is an important part of the journey.
Valtteri Bottas Is Ready to Build Something Big
Bottas also had plenty to say about Cadillac’s ambitions, sharing his excitement about helping build a successful American brand in motorsport.
The Finnish driver spoke about the team’s pride in what it’s creating and its goal of becoming a successful force in Formula 1. It’s a long-term project, but one that Bottas clearly believes in.
And with Cadillac entering the sport as an entirely new team, there’s no shortage of work ahead. “Hang in there. We’ll get there,” he said.
Live Music, Texas Energy & One Memorable Ride
For fans, getting to see the drivers outside the usual paddock setting was a pretty memorable way to kick off the festivities. And with a mix of Texas-inspired design, photo ops, signature cocktails, live music and two of F1’s biggest names, The Cadillac Ranch House was a celebration that felt right at home in Austin.
And I can’t not mention the evening’s biggest highlight for me. I left the party in style, escorted in a 1969 Fleetwood Cadillac!
Featured photo credit: Cadillac Formula 1® Team
