Cadillac F1 taps Miami GP dealmaker Tyler Epp to lead its commercial charge
Cadillac’s Formula 1 project has added a heavyweight closer on the business side, hiring former Miami Grand Prix president Tyler Epp as its global head of commercial strategy ahead of the team’s 2026 debut.
Epp becomes the first executive in that role for the fledgling outfit and, in simple terms, he’ll be the one turning American buzz into global partnerships. It’s a statement pickup. Epp was one of the architects behind F1’s arrival in Miami in 2022 and part of the team that locked the race in through 2041 — the longest hosting agreement on the calendar.
Cadillac hasn’t unveiled a title sponsor yet, and that’s squarely on Epp’s to-do list. The brand has already lined up Tommy Hilfiger and Jim Beam as partners, but the brief is broader: build a commercial arm that can carry the team from launch hype into a sustainable, big-league F1 program.
“I’ve spent so much of my career in racing, and the past several years helping redefine what American motorsports can be,” Epp said. “I can’t think of a more exciting and promising opportunity to galvanize our sport in the United States and beyond than this one. The Cadillac Formula 1 Team is poised to become a global force in F1 that’s rooted in American tradition and ingenuity, I’m incredibly proud to join this effort from the very beginning.”
This is a hire with reach. Before Miami, Epp cut his teeth as general manager of Hall of Fame Racing in NASCAR, and later as director of team operations and business development at Chip Ganassi Racing. Away from pit lanes, he’s worked on the business side with major U.S. franchises including the San Diego Padres and the Kansas City Chiefs. That’s a network you want when you’re trying to sell an all-new F1 team to Fortune 500 boardrooms.
“We could not have found a better leader and visionary to build out the commercial arm of our team,” said Dan Towriss, CEO of Cadillac F1 and TWG Motorsports. “His work shaping the Miami Grand Prix into one of the marquee events on the Formula 1 calendar demonstrates his unique command of the sport domestically and worldwide.”
Cadillac’s off-track build has gathered pace this year. The driver roster is already sorted: seasoned pair Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez will spearhead the 2026 campaign, with Colton Herta in as reserve. Graeme Lowdon has been installed as team principal, giving the operation an experienced hand at the helm while the factory work continues.
Epp’s arrival tilts the focus to the dollars-and-sense side of a modern F1 effort. Expect an aggressive push across the U.S. corporate landscape — think lifestyle and tech brands alongside the traditional automotive and financial players — and a hospitality footprint that looks more Miami than Midlands. The Miami template is clear: premium product, premium partners, premium experience. Translate that into a race team’s year-round narrative, and you’ve got a compelling offer for sponsors who want in on F1 without feeling like they’re just buying logos on a car.
There’s also timing to consider. With the team targeting the 2026 grid, the next 12 months are critical for landing an anchor partner before the car reveal and testing calendar ramps up. That early commitment can dictate livery, launch cadence, and a chunk of competitive firepower. It’s why Epp’s dealmaking — and his contacts from the paddock suites in Miami — could prove as valuable as any wind tunnel hour.
Cadillac’s intent has been obvious from the outset. The brand wants to look and feel American without being parochial, and it wants to compete from day one. Signing two race-winning drivers checks one box; building a commercial engine room that can carry the program through the inevitable teething years checks another. Epp’s job is to make sure the second happens fast.
There’s a romantic line in all this about the American dream, but the reality is a little sharper: F1 is a business that rewards clarity and ruthlessness. Bringing in the person who helped turn a football stadium parking lot into a blue-chip Grand Prix weekend sends a clear signal. Cadillac isn’t here to play at F1. It’s here to sell it, shape it, and stay.
