Formula 1's newest team has replaced its team principal in the middle of its first season on the grid. Graeme Lowdon is stepping down from his role as Cadillac team principal, with the returning Marcin Budkowski taking his place, the F1 grid's newest team announced on Wednesday. The American outfit, backed by General Motors, confirmed the change takes effect immediately.
The team described the move as a planned transition. Cadillac said the move was part of a "planned leadership transition as the organization evolves from its initial build phase into the next stage of racing performance," though it hadn't previously signaled it intended to move on from Lowdon.
A tough start on track
F1 newcomers Cadillac have changed things up at the top by drafting in experienced engineer and former Alpine chief Marcin Budkowski to replace Graeme Lowdon as Team Principal with immediate effect. The American squad made their debut in Australia earlier this season, a little over a year after the project was confirmed. Its cars are driven by two experienced veterans, Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, both returning to the grid after being without race seats in 2025, according to Motorsport.com.
Results have been difficult to come by. As Cadillac find themselves as the only team without a point on the board, we recap their season so far in their half term report. Of course it's also worth mentioning that Perez initially finished the Monaco Grand Prix in 10th place, seemingly earning Cadillac's first ever F1 point. But the Mexican was penalised after the race for being out of position on the restart, underlining how narrow the margins have been for the newcomer.
“"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," said team CEO Dan Towriss, according to The Race, adding that "his contributions helped establish a strong foundation in our build-up phase."”
Who is Marcin Budkowski
Budkowski is a well-known figure in the F1 paddock, even though he has spent recent years away from the sport working in television. His Formula 1 career began with Prost Grand Prix in 2001 before he joined Ferrari, where he spent six seasons. He moved to McLaren in 2007 and worked both trackside and at the team's Woking headquarters.
Upon leaving McLaren, Budkowski spent three years at the sport's governing body, the FIA, before his most public roles with Renault and later Alpine. He left the French manufacturer's Alpine operation in 2022 as executive director. For readers unfamiliar with the role, a team principal in Formula 1 oversees both the sporting and commercial operation of a team, sitting above the engineering directors and acting as the outfit's public face in dealings with governing bodies and media.
The 49-year-old Pole will take charge from his predecessor Graeme Lowdon as of next weekend's Dutch Grand Prix, marking his full-time return to an F1 paddock after several years working primarily in television with Viaplay. Sky Sports reported that while Cadillac's statement described the change as planned, there had been no previous suggestion Lowdon would not see out the team's first season.
For a project still in its first year, the timing signals impatience from Cadillac's ownership group about the pace of progress on track. The switch arrives just before the European leg of the calendar begins at Zandvoort, a stretch of races that falls squarely within Cadillac's push to build a following among European fans and sponsors. Whether Budkowski's technical pedigree can accelerate results will become clearer as the second half of the season unfolds.
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