Cadillac Responds to Lawsuit Over $10m Super Bowl F1 Ad

Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Cadillac F1 has issued a formal response to a lawsuit filed by Hollywood director Michael Bay concerning the team’s Super Bowl livery launch advertisement, which carried a reported production and airtime cost of USD 10 million, equivalent to approximately IDR 160 billion.

The legal action has been brought against Cadillac F1 CEO Dan Towriss, following the broadcast of a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl clash between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. The advert, aired during the fourth quarter, was viewed by hundreds of millions of global viewers and marked a major branding moment for Cadillac ahead of its Formula 1 entry.

Bay, best known for directing blockbuster films such as Pearl Harbor and Armageddon, claims he was hired to direct the commercial before being removed from the project mid-production. Despite this, he alleges that the advert proceeded using his creative ideas and concepts.

The lawsuit, spanning 19 pages, accuses Cadillac and Towriss of breach of contract and fraud, with Bay seeking damages of USD 1.5 million, or approximately IDR 24 billion. According to the filing, Cadillac had allegedly set out to recruit “the most American director [they] could find” to align with the branding tone of its Super Bowl campaign.

The claim further alleges that after Bay had been “working nearly nonstop,” Towriss abruptly decided to “go in a different direction” and appoint another party to complete the project. The lawsuit asserts that Cadillac nonetheless used Bay’s work without compensation, stating that the team wanted “a ‘Michael Bay’ commercial at a bargain-basement price.”

Responding to the allegations, Towriss expressed disappointment at Bay’s decision to pursue legal action, while firmly rejecting claims that the director’s creative input was used improperly.

“Our reaction is that we have a lot of respect for Michael,” Towriss told select media, including RacingNews365. “It’s disappointing that he chose to do that. Certainly, all of the creative work was done well in advance of ever speaking with him.”

Towriss emphasised that Cadillac’s intention was to discuss Bay’s potential role as a director, rather than to source creative concepts from him. He added that the campaign’s creative foundation was already in place before any formal engagement.

“We wanted to talk to him about a role as director, not taking creative ideas from him,” Towriss said. “The group we worked with, Translation, did an excellent job developing all of that.”

Despite the scale of the legal claim and the high-profile nature of the dispute, Towriss insisted that Cadillac remains confident the issue can be resolved without escalation. He also underlined that the Super Bowl campaign itself achieved its primary objective.

“We’re confident it will be resolved amicably,” he added. “From our standpoint, last night was a huge success, and we’re very proud of the work that was done.”

The dispute places Cadillac F1 at the intersection of global motorsport, Hollywood, and high-stakes sports marketing. Super Bowl advertising represents one of the most expensive and visible platforms in the world, and Cadillac’s USD 10 million investment underlined its ambition to establish instant brand recognition ahead of its Formula 1 debut.

While the legal process will determine the merits of Bay’s claims, the case highlights the reputational and commercial risks associated with major launch campaigns outside the racetrack. For Cadillac F1, the outcome will form an early test of how the organisation manages off-track controversies as it prepares to enter Formula 1’s highly scrutinised global arena.