Cadillac makes first major leadership change in Formula 1

Cadillac has abruptly replaced team principal Graeme Lowdon with former Alpine team boss Marcin Budkowski, making the first major change to its leadership since the General Motors-backed project entered Formula 1 at the start of the 2026 season.

Lowdon, 61, had led Cadillac since December 2024 and was involved in building the team for more than two years. His departure comes after Cadillac’s first half-season on the grid, during which it has yet to score a point and sits last among the 11 teams in the constructors’ championship.

Cadillac describes a planned transition

In a statement released Wednesday, Cadillac characterized the change as “a planned leadership transition as the organization evolves from its initial build phase into the next stage of racing performance.” However, Lowdon’s exit appeared sudden. He attended the Hungarian Grand Prix in late July, and team CEO Dan Towriss said Lowdon was informed of the decision only on Wednesday morning.

“This decision was mine,” Towriss said during a subsequent press conference. He added that the timing reflected a need to establish a clear long-term direction rather than a direct reaction to Cadillac’s recent results.

“The time for that change came sooner than was expected,” Towriss said.

Towriss said the decision was not mutual and that Cadillac had been considering the next stage of the organization for several months. Lowdon was not quoted in the team’s announcement and has not yet publicly given his account of the decision.

Budkowski brings technical and management experience

Budkowski’s Formula 1 career began in the early 2000s with Prost. He later worked for Ferrari during its successful 2002-07 period, joined McLaren and served as the FIA’s F1 technical chief before moving into team management.

He led Alpine during the 2021 season, when the team won the Hungarian Grand Prix with Esteban Ocon. His appointment to Renault’s technical leadership in 2017 had previously caused concern among rival teams because of his recent FIA role and his knowledge of contemporary car designs across the grid.

Since leaving Alpine in early 2022, Budkowski has primarily worked as a television pundit. He will now be tasked with leading Cadillac’s development as it moves beyond its initial build phase. At the time of his appointment, he had not yet visited the team’s factory or met all of his new staff.

Organizational issues add to Cadillac’s challenge

Towriss said Cadillac’s leadership change was driven by the need for a stronger future-oriented vision, rather than simply by its early on-track performance or recent “teething issues.” The team has also been affected by a series of brake fires during the summer.

He acknowledged that communication problems and siloed working practices exist at Cadillac’s Silverstone base. Towriss said Budkowski’s technical background, leadership and communication skills could help accelerate the team’s organizational development.

“Marcin’s appointment marks another important step in the continued evolution of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team,” Towriss said.

“From the beginning, our goal has not been simply to participate in Formula 1, but to build a next-generation team capable of competing at the very front,” he added.

Budkowski’s immediate challenge will be to improve Cadillac’s internal processes while helping turn an ambitious new entrant into a competitive long-term Formula 1 operation.