Cadillac have dismissed Graeme Lowdon as team principal and promoted Marcin Budkowski in what the American-owned newcomer called a "planned leadership transition" as the 2026 Formula 1 season resumes at Zandvoort later this month.
Change at the top with the season on the line
The move comes with Cadillac still looking for their first championship points after 11 rounds of the campaign. Budkowski, a 49-year-old engineer with previous experience inside F1, left his role as Alpine executive director in 2022 and will take charge for the Dutch Grand Prix, the first race after the sport’s four-week summer break from 21–23 August.
Lowdon had been installed as team principal in December 2024 to oversee Cadillac’s entry to the world championship and to build the organisation around drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas. The switch signals a recalibration of the project as the team seeks more immediate on-track returns.
"Marcin's appointment marks another important step in the continued evolution of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team," said Cadillac F1 chief executive Dan Towriss, adding that Budkowski brings "exceptional F1 experience, technical expertise and strategic leadership".
Immediate questions and longer-term objectives
The appointment will be judged quickly. Cadillac have arrived in F1 with significant resources and high expectations, but being the only team yet to score has heightened scrutiny on leadership and technical direction. Budkowski inherits a squad that has managed the complex logistics of a debut campaign while attempting to turn concept into competitive performance.
Cadillac’s statement framed the change as part of an ongoing evolution rather than a reactionary sack, but the timing — mid-season and ahead of a busy second half of the calendar — makes this a crucial test of the new structure.
- Key immediate tasks: extract performance from the current car package and accelerate development over upcoming race weekends.
- Pressure points: translating resources into points, improving race reliability and optimising pit-stop and setup processes.
- Stakeholders watching: drivers, factory staff, sponsors and the wider F1 paddock monitoring Cadillac’s progress as a new entrant.
Fast facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Outgoing team principal | Graeme Lowdon (appointed December 2024) |
| Incoming team principal | Marcin Budkowski (left Alpine 2022) |
| Drivers | Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas |
| Points after 11 rounds | None (only team yet to score) |
| Next race | Dutch Grand Prix, 21–23 August 2026 |
Cadillac’s leadership change is bound to create ripples across the F1 paddock. Appointing a figure who has previously navigated the sport’s technical and political landscape suggests the team aim to accelerate a learning curve that is typically steep for manufacturers entering the championship.
How quickly Budkowski can instil fresh processes and convert them into on-track performance will determine whether this is the turning point Cadillac hope for or a reshuffle that merely delays deeper questions about competitiveness. The Dutch Grand Prix will be the first gauge: expectations will be measured, but patience within the paddock is seldom infinite when results are not forthcoming.
For now, the focus inside Cadillac will be on tightening the margins — from race engineering to strategy calls — to produce the type of consistent weekend results that translate into championship points. That they have chosen an experienced operator to steer that effort emphasises the seriousness of their intent.
