Amanda Westcott's Driver Portraits Light Up the Sphere and Launch American F1 Into Global Consciousness

When Cadillac revealed Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez as their inaugural Formula 1 drivers on August 26, 2025, the announcement became an instant global sensation. The driver portraits appeared on the Las Vegas Sphere, across billboards worldwide, and dominated social media feeds. Behind those images was commercial photographer Amanda Westcott, whose key art gave America's newest F1 team the visual identity it needed to compete on motorsport's biggest stage.

The stakes couldn't have been higher. Cadillac was entering Formula 1 as the sport's 11th team and first American manufacturer entry in decades. The pressure to make a splash with the driver reveal was immense. Westcott delivered imagery that turned what could have been a standard sports announcement into a cultural moment that captured racing fans and casual observers alike.

Making History Before the First Lap

Westcott's involvement with Cadillac F1 began months before the August driver announcement. As Head of Photo for AK Collective Inc, the Brooklyn-based production company she co-owns with her husband Mark, she was tasked with creating assets that would work everywhere from the world's largest LED screen to Instagram stories. The images needed to convey speed, prestige, and American ambition all at once.

"Cadillac wanted to announce these drivers in a way that felt bigger than just F1," Westcott explained. "This was about bringing American racing back to the world stage. The photos had to make people who've never watched a Formula 1 race suddenly care about what happens when the lights go out in Melbourne."

She photographed Bottas and Pérez in sessions designed to capture both drivers' veteran presence. With a combined 527 F1 starts and 16 race wins between them, the duo represented experience and legitimacy. Westcott's challenge was translating that credibility into images that worked for a team no one had seen race yet.

The Sphere Moment That Stopped Traffic

Nothing amplified the announcement quite like seeing the driver portraits displayed on the Sphere in Las Vegas during the November 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix. The 366-foot-tall LED marvel became Cadillac F1's billboard to the world, showcasing Westcott's photography to the 316,000 fans who attended race weekend and millions more watching globally.

"Seeing my work on the Sphere was surreal," Westcott said. "That structure is visible from everywhere in Las Vegas. You can't miss it. Knowing that my photos were introducing this team to the world in such a massive way, it's one of those moments where you realize the scope of what you're contributing to."

The Sphere display was just one element of a comprehensive rollout. Westcott's driver portraits appeared on billboards from Times Square to London, across Cadillac dealerships worldwide, and throughout the F1 paddock. Social media engagement was massive, with the announcement generating millions of interactions as fans dissected every detail of the team's visual identity.

For Westcott, who has spent 15 years shooting commercial campaigns for brands like Apple, Nike, Meta and Procter & Gamble, the Cadillac project represented something unique. She was helping launch an entire racing operation into one of sport's most competitive environments.

Building Trust Through Proven Results

Cadillac's decision to hire Westcott came from her track record in high-pressure sports environments. Over the past decade, she has created key art for virtually every major boxing match on Showtime and DAZN, including fights featuring Canelo Álvarez, Gervonta Davis, and Jake Paul. Her recent work on the Mike Tyson versus Jake Paul Netflix event helped drive that fight to 108 million viewers, making it the most-streamed sporting event ever.

"Brands at this level don't gamble on photographers," Westcott noted. "They hire people who've delivered under pressure before. Cadillac knew I understood how to create images that serve both artistic and business purposes. These photos needed to sell the team to sponsors, excite fans, and convince skeptics that Cadillac belongs in F1."

Her approach combined technical precision with storytelling instinct. Each shot required perfect lighting, composition and timing to capture the drivers' intensity. But beyond technical execution, the images needed to communicate Cadillac's narrative as the ambitious American underdog entering Europe's most elite motorsport.

Breaking Barriers While Breaking Ground

Westcott's role in launching Cadillac F1 continues her pattern of succeeding in male-dominated sports spaces. As one of the few prominent female sports photographers working at championship levels, she has spent her career proving that gender doesn't determine who can capture the biggest moments in athletics.

"Sports photography, especially motorsports, has traditionally been a boys' club," Westcott said. "But the best person for the job should get the job, regardless of gender. I think Cadillac choosing me to help launch their F1 team sends a message that talent matters most."

With a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from Toronto Metropolitan University, Westcott has built AK Collective Inc into a go-to production company for brands needing commercial imagery that drives results. Her client roster includes YouTube, CBS, Showtime, and most recently, projects with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's Seven Bucks Productions.

What Success Looks Like Before Racing Starts

The true measure of Westcott's work won't come until Cadillac actually competes in 2026. But the early indicators suggest her visual strategy worked. The driver announcement generated unprecedented buzz for a team that hasn't turned a single competitive lap. Sponsors signed on, fans bought merchandise, and the motorsport world started taking Cadillac seriously as a legitimate F1 competitor.

Her work with Cadillac extends beyond the initial driver announcement. As the team ramps up to their 2026 Australian Grand Prix debut, Westcott continues creating assets for marketing campaigns, sponsor materials, and fan engagement initiatives. The ongoing relationship reflects a pattern throughout Westcott's career: brands repeatedly choosing her for high-stakes projects because her work delivers measurable results.

Team Principal Graeme Lowdon has called Cadillac's entry "the greatest team game in the world," requiring "the best of the best in all positions". That philosophy clearly extends to visual storytelling, where Westcott's photography serves as the first impression for a team trying to prove it belongs among F1's elite.

When the 2026 season begins and Cadillac F1 finally races, the team will be judged on lap times and championship points. But before any of that happens, they've already won the battle for attention. Amanda Westcott made sure of that, one portrait at a time.