Cadillac F1 has announced a multi-year partnership with Jim Beam, making the bourbon distiller its official spirits partner

Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland, left, and Red Bull driver Sergio Perez of Mexico participate in a media conference ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium, July 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, file)

The new Cadillac F1 team on Wednesday announced a multi-year partnership with Jim Beam that makes the American bourbon distiller its official spirits partner.

“This partnership brings together two icons of American heritage to create something truly special,” said Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Motorsports, the ownership group of Cadillac F1. “Formula 1 is a global stage, and we want to take our fans on this journey with us every step of the way.

"Our vision goes beyond racing – we’re building a team that lives where sport, technology, and culture collide. With Jim Beam joining our family of partners, the momentum behind this project grows stronger every day as we gear up for our debut next year.”

The deal follows a June announcement in which Tommy Hilfiger, an American fashion brand, was named the official apparel partner for the team that will debut on the Formula 1 grid in 2026.

The partnerships showcase Cadillac's desire to be a true American team competing in a global series that consists primarily of European-based teams. Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez have been named the debut drivers, but California native Colton Herta is leaving IndyCar to become Cadillac's test driver in an attempt to earn the super license he needs to compete in F1.

...

Graeme Lowdon, the team principal of the new Formula One team Cadillac, talks to The Associated Press during an interview at the Silverstone racetrack, ahead of the British Formula One Grand Prix, in Silverstone, England, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

The Jim Beam deal continues a relationship with Cadillac that dates back more than a century. Fred Noe, Jim Beam’s seventh-generation master distiller, still drives a Cadillac as a tribute to the car that helped safeguard his family’s legacy.

This is Jim Beam's first move into the F1 space, but the distillery has agreements with the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys and the Los Angeles Dodgers, which is owned by the same group that owns Cadillac F1. Jim Beam also has sponsorship agreements with the United States Soccer Federation, the Indianapolis 500, NASCAR and Dick Johnson Racing of Australian Supercars.

Jim Beam will use the partnership for branding on and off the car during the entire F1 season over the multi-year agreement.

“Both car racing and making Jim Beam bourbon require every individual and moving part to come together to create a positive collective outcome,” said Rashidi Hodari, managing director, James B. Beam Distilling Co. “This is very in line with how we bring Jim Beam to the world. The pit crew and our distillery workers both know that it’s the power of their communities that allows for the win. It’s this common understanding of the importance of connection with the next generation of Formula 1 fans that inspires us.”

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing