Jim Beam and Cadillac Bring a Taste of Home to F1 with Melbourne Roadhouse

Formula 1 has long been a platform where global brands test how far their stories can travel beyond the racetrack. As the sport continues to expand its international footprint, the paddock has increasingly become a space where heritage brands meet new audiences through experiences rather than through traditional sponsorship alone.

For Jim Beam, the arrival of Cadillac to the Formula 1 grid created an opportunity for the brand to do exactly that. The partnership unites two American brands whose legacies have run parallel for decades.

Now, as Cadillac Formula 1 Team prepared for its debut at the Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend in Melbourne, Jim Beam joined them to unveil their first major activation of the partnership. Enter, Melbourne Roadhouse, a gathering place where bourbon, motorsport, and community intersect.

A Partnership Rooted in Heritage

When Jim Beam began evaluating its entry into Formula 1, the brand was not interested in a simple logo placement. According to the Managing Director, Rashidi Hodari, the goal was to find a partner whose story aligned with the brand's own legacy.

"I think there's a magic of having a real purpose to be in the space. It's a combination of knowing who we were and who we are as a brand, knowing our heritage."
Rashidi Hodari, Jim Beam

Hodari shared with Grand Prix on SI that 'purpose' stretches back to the very origins of Jim Beam. Jim Beam himself famously transported the yeast that preserved his bourbon recipe in the front seat of a Cadillac each night after Prohibition ended — a brand connection that dates back to the 1930s.

Jim Beam Kentucky Distillery, 1939 Cadillac | Courtesy of Jim Beam

Even now, inside the James B. Beam Distilling Co. distillery in Clermont, Kentucky, a 1939 Cadillac sits near the beginning of the visitor tour, commemorating a piece of family legacy tied directly to the Formula 1 team in which they have invested.

"That origin story is really part of who we are. It’s about rebuilding the industry, rebuilding the brand, and doing it because of a deep personal love for what bourbon meant to the family and the community.”
Rashidi Hodari, Jim Beam

When Cadillac’s Formula 1 Team was announced, the historical connection made the partnership feel natural.

Engaging the Next Generation of Fans

While the origin story of Jim Beam and Cadillac Formula 1 Team is rooted in shared American heritage, the strategy behind it is decidedly global. Formula 1's international calendar offers Jim Beam an opportunity to connect with a new generation of consumers, particularly in markets where the brand continues to grow.

"When we thought about the partnership, it was really about engaging the next generation of bourbon consumers. Formula One offers the opportunity to connect with fans at a scale that’s almost unprecedented."
Rashidi Hodari, Jim Beam

Jim Beam x Cadillac F1 - Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez | Courtesy of Jim Beam

Unlike other premium spirits brands that have leaned into the exclusivity of the sport, Jim Beam is intentionally positioning itself as 'accessible' and is particularly driven to build 'third spaces' in and around Formula 1 races.

“We like to think of ourselves as the people’s bourbon. We want to create environments where fans can come together and connect – not just with Cadillac, but with each other.”
Rashidi Hodari, Jim Beam

With that ethos in mind, one that is clearly shared with Cadillac Formula 1 Team off the heels of their public, accessible, and transparent car reveal just a few weeks ago, the Kentucky Roadhouse activation came to be.

The Kentucky Roadhouse Comes to Melbourne

The Australian Grand Prix week was an incredibly busy time for Formula 1 as it launched the 2026 season and a new era for the sport. Alongside all of these changes, Jim Beam debuted the first large-scale activation of their Cadillac F1 Team partnership — Jim Beam Kentucky Roadhouse.

Jim Beam Melbourne Roadhouse Australia GP | Courtesy of Jim Beam

Located at the Village Belle in St Kilda, the venue transformed into a fan hub throughout the race week, featuring every element of a grand prix weekend. Fans enjoyed live music, bourbon tastings, race screenings, a 'Meat & Greet', comfort food inspired by the brand's Kentucky roots, and a special guest appearance.

The aforementioned 'Meat & Greet' was hosted by Cadillac F1's own Valtteri Bottas — honorary Australian citizen.

Jim Beam Cadillac Meat & Greet - Valtteri Bottas | Courtesy of Jim Beam

The concept was designed to bring the energy of the race weekend beyond the circuit, giving fans without tickets a place to gather and celebrate the sport together. The Finnish driver appeared at the Roadhouse to run a traditional Australian meat raffle, handing the winning trays directly to fans.

"We know most Formula One fans don’t get to attend races regularly. They might have one chance in their lifetime to go. So we want to create spaces around the city where people can come together and share that excitement.”
Rashidi Hodari, Jim Beam

A Global Concept With Local Flavor

Melbourne marked only the beginning of what Jim Beam hopes will become a recurring presence throughout the Formula 1 calendar. While the Kentucky Roadhouse concept will travel to multiple race locations, Hodari emphasized that each activation will adapt to the culture of the host city.

The brand aims to create unique, one-of-a-kind, and community-focused experiences for fans around the globe rather than replicating the same event weekend after weekend. For Australia, that meant incorporating local traditions like the meat raffle.

"We want to bring the Roadhouse to life in ways that feel authentic to each place. There are ideas that can travel from market to market, but there are also traditions that are unique to each location."
Rashidi Hodari, Jim Beam

Jim Beam x Cadillac - Valtteri Bottas Melbourne | Courtesy of Jim Beam

The approach reflects the broader philosophy behind the partnership. Formula 1's global platform is no longer simply about visibility for brands but about creating memorable touchpoints and shared experiences.

While Cadillac F1 Team continues its momentum after its Australian Grand Prix debut from the grid, Jim Beam is creating those moments of connection – whether over a glass of bourbon or a meat raffle — to resonate with fans long after the checkered flag falls.