Cadillac Formula 1 Team appointed former Alpine executive Marcin Budkowski as its new team principal on Wednesday, replacing Graeme Lowdon ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix. The management shuffle comes as the General Motors-backed newcomer prepares for the second half of its inaugural 2026 season without a championship point.
Marcin Budkowski Takes Over Leadership as Cadillac Shifts From Build Phase
Marcin Budkowski Appointed Team Principal
The Cadillac Formula 1 Team announced on August 12, 2026, that Marcin Budkowski will take over as team principal, marking a significant personnel change for the grid’s newest constructor. Budkowski brings more than two decades of paddock experience to Indianapolis and Silverstone operations, having previously served as executive director at Alpine until his exit in 2022. His resume includes engineering and regulatory roles with Prost, Ferrari, McLaren, and the FIA. Since leaving Alpine, he had been working as a television pundit in his native Poland and advising teams, drivers, and motorsport organizations.
Cadillac described the change as a planned leadership transition as the organization evolves from its initial build phase into the next stage of racing performance. The appointment places the 49-year-old Polish/French engineer back in the paddock, with his first race in charge set to be the Dutch Grand Prix as the season resumes from August 21-23 after the sport’s summer break.
Graeme Lowdon Departs After Launching the New Constructor From the Ground Up
Graeme Lowdon Departs Cadillac
The leadership swap removes Graeme Lowdon, who had helped steer the Cadillac project since his appointment in December 2024. Lowdon oversaw the team’s preparations for and arrival on the F1 grid, including assembling a driver pairing of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas. Cadillac is currently the only team yet to have scored a point during the first 11 rounds of the 2026 season, recording a best finish of 13th while battling car issues that have included brakes repeatedly overheating in recent races and forcing retirements, alongside incidents such as Valtteri Bottas crawling back into the pit after the front bib of his Cadillac caught fire due to heat.
Cadillac Chief Executive Dan Towriss acknowledged Lowdon’s foundational work while announcing the transition. 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 said. His contributions helped establish a strong foundation in our build-up phase, and we thank him for his commitment and wish him well.
Dan Towriss Outlines Evolution of Cadillac Formula 1 Team
Marcin's appointment marks another important step in the continued evolution of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team. 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
Marcin Budkowski Outlines Immediate Targets at Zandvoort
Cadillac Formula 1 Team has an extraordinary foundation and ambition. 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. Budkowski
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,
Budkowski added. “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.”
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