Marcin Budkowski replaces Graeme Lowdon in major Cadillac F1 Team principal change
In a high-stakes paddock shake-up ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, the Cadillac F1 Team has announced the immediate departure of team principal Graeme Lowdon, appointing former Alpine executive director Marcin Budkowski to lead their trackside and factory operations.
The decision represents a decisive tactical pivot for the American entrant, which currently languishes at the bottom of the constructors' standings without a single point to its name in its inaugural campaign.
Lowdon, who took the helm in December 2024, was instrumental in building the operation from absolute scratch. Bringing decades of motorsport experience from his days running Marussia and Manor Racing, Lowdon guided the team through the labyrinthine administrative and logistical hurdles required to get two cars onto the grid.
Under his stewardship, Cadillac laid down vital roots across facilities in Indiana and the United Kingdom, turning a blank piece of paper into an operational Grand Prix squad.
However, the harsh reality of modern Grand Prix racing quickly asserted itself once the lights went out. Cadillac has struggled for raw pace, fighting severe chassis compliance issues, aerodynamic instability, and the inevitable growing pains of an expanding technical infrastructure.
While Lowdon successfully managed the foundational phase, team leadership recognised that transitioning from survival to mid-pack contention required a vastly different operational discipline and technical clout.
Enter Marcin Budkowski, a 49-year-old heavy hitter whose pedigree spans every corner of the modern pit lane. Educated in France, Budkowski began his career as an aerodynamicist at Prost before crafting winning machinery during stints at Ferrari and McLaren.
His profile grew exponentially during his tenure as the head of the FIA's technical department, where he oversaw rulebook compliance and technical regulations before making a high-profile move back to the paddock with Renault and Alpine.
Sharing dual leadership responsibilities alongside Davide Brivio at Alpine in 2021, Budkowski gained direct experience steering an OEM outfit through complex technical overhauls and strategic restructures.
This extensive background across regulatory bodies, aerodynamic development, and top-tier management makes Budkowski uniquely qualified to address Cadillac’s immediate operational bottlenecks.
“Cadillac Formula 1 Team has an extraordinary foundation and ambition,” Budkowski declared, addressing his immediate appointment.
“This is a phase of huge opportunity for the team, one that will be defined by a clear objective: maximising car development within the cost cap and turning every team function on to compete. That means building an elite organisation with a winning mindset - driven, relentless in the face of setbacks, obsessed with detail and process, and able to execute with precision on race day.”
The timing of this Cadillac F1 team principal change highlights a desperate urge to accelerate progress before the 2026 mid-season development window slams shut.
Cadillac CEO Dan Towriss was transparent about the motives driving the executive shift, emphasizing the transition from structural assembly to ruthless trackside execution. “Marcin's appointment marks another important step in the continued evolution of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team,” Towriss explained, addressing the technical directive behind the prompt leadership swap.
“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.”
“As we enter this new era for the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, Marcin brings exceptional F1 experience, technical expertise and strategic leadership that will strengthen our organisation and help us develop the winning mindset, tools and processes required for long-term success.”
Towriss also paid tribute to the departing team boss, recognising the immense effort required to get the project off the ground.
“We're grateful to Graeme Lowdon for his leadership and the role he played in forming the Cadillac Formula 1 Team from the ground up,” Towriss added. “His contributions helped establish a strong foundation in our build-up phase, and we thank him for his commitment and wish him well.”
Budkowski takes immediate charge at Zandvoort next weekend, diving straight into the deep end during the high-downforce demands of the Dutch coastline.
His immediate mandate involves streamlining information flow between the race team and the under-construction headquarters in Indiana, optimizing development cycles under the strict financial constraints of the budget cap.
“My focus will be on aligning our people, tools and information flow so the right decisions are made quickly, and the performance of the car improves every time we go racing. It is a privilege to be leading Cadillac Formula 1 Team's on-track efforts, starting in Zandvoort next weekend,” Budkowski noted.
By replacing the architect of their formation with an expert in aerodynamic efficiency and operational precision, Cadillac has made its intentions clear to the rest of the paddock.
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