Formula 1 fans and car enthusiasts packed a dealership lot on El Paso's east side this week, lining up for a rare close-up look at the race car Cadillac will run in its historic first F1 season. Bravo Cadillac, located at 6555 Montana Ave., hosted the free public viewing from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., complete with exotic-car displays, food and drink vendors, and live music from DJ Johnny Kage.
The one-day event, covered by KFOX, gave locals a chance to see Cadillac's Formula 1 machine up close as the brand builds anticipation for its first year in the sport. Bravo Auto Group Marketing Director Martin Rocha said seeing the race car in person created a unique experience for local fans, according to the station's report, and that the goal was to make the day memorable for everyone who showed up.
A Border City With Deep Ties to F1's Newest Star
The event came as Formula 1's North American profile continues to grow. Driver Sergio “Checo” Pérez is widely seen as the driving force behind F1's rapidly growing Hispanic and Latinx fanbase across North America, according to PlanetF1, which notes that border states like Texas turn out in force for Pérez during events such as the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin. Cadillac officially signed Pérez alongside veteran teammate Valtteri Bottas in August 2025 to lead its inaugural driver lineup, as reported by AP News, with the team prioritizing experience over rookie talent for its debut year.
Bravo Auto Group CEO and founder Raymond Palacios, Jr. called Formula 1 a world-class sport with a tremendous following, per KFOX, and said the event gave the community a rare opportunity to experience the sport in person. Palacios is a Hispanic- and veteran-owned business leader who previously served on the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Board and General Motors' Minority Dealer Advisory Council, according to the Office of the Texas Governor. Just months before the viewing, Bravo Cadillac was named one of only 42 dealerships nationwide to receive Cadillac's Master Dealer Award for operational excellence, as reported by KVIA in April.
Cadillac's Bigger Bet on Formula 1
The El Paso showcase is a small local slice of a much larger story: Cadillac is joining Formula 1 for the 2026 season as the sport's 11th constructor, the first brand-new, independent team added to the grid since Haas F1 debuted in 2016, according to Formula1.com. The entry follows years of development backed by General Motors and TWG Motorsports. For its first three seasons, the team will run Ferrari-supplied engine and gearbox packages before General Motors debuts its own in-house power unit in 2029, per Formula1.com's team profile.
Cadillac's Formula 1 operation runs across a multi-location setup, pairing a European technical hub in Silverstone, England, with U.S. facilities in Fishers, Indiana, Concord, North Carolina, and Warren, Michigan, according to LarryInFishers. Aerodynamics and track operations stay centered near Silverstone while the North Carolina site focuses on power unit development. Graeme Lowdon is Team Principal overseeing the squad, LarryInFishers reported.
Part of a Growing North American Footprint
The 2026 Formula 1 World Championship calendar includes races on U.S. soil in Austin, Miami and Las Vegas, according to DeVoe Cadillac, which notes the United States now hosts more F1 races than any other country. Cadillac has also been leaning on motorsport engineering to fuel public excitement beyond the race calendar itself; Hoodline previously reported on an 830-horsepower concept car the brand unveiled in August, built with Le Mans prototype hardware and a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis developed alongside Cadillac Racing and Dallara.
For now, El Paso's turn in the spotlight was a one-day affair — a free glimpse of a global racing program that most fans will otherwise only see on television once the season begins. Between the exotic cars, the vendors and DJ Johnny Kage's set, Bravo Cadillac's lot offered a rare local entry point into a sport whose newest team is still assembling itself piece by piece, continent by continent, ahead of its debut.
