A week before the Formula 1 calendar rolls back onto the streets of Zandvoort, Cadillac shocked the paddock by announcing a leadership shuffle during the summer hiatus. The team removed Graeme Lowdon from his role as team principal and installed former Alpine director Marcin Budkowski as his successor.
The move was confirmed by Cadillac F1 chief executive Dan Towriss, who appeared alongside Budkowski in a press briefing shortly after the announcement. The two executives fielded questions about the abrupt change, the team’s performance to date, and the lingering speculation surrounding veteran driver Sergio Perez. Team‑principal turnover in Formula 1 has become more common in recent years; since the close of the 2022 season every outfit except Mercedes has swapped its head at least once. However, mid‑season dismissals remain relatively rare when compared with the frequency of managerial changes in sports such as football.
Consequently, Lowdon’s exit – which had not been hinted at in any recent media chatter – caught many observers off guard, especially given that Cadillac were only eleven races into their inaugural campaign and had consistently warned that they would likely be fighting at the back of the grid for the duration of the year. Towriss explained that the original plan had always been for Lowdon to eventually "hand the baton" to another leader as the programme matured.
He admitted, however, that the timing of the transition arrived earlier than anticipated. "Graeme and I always knew a hand‑over would be required at some point," Towriss said. "The decision was mine, and I felt there was a narrow window to reshape the project before we lock ourselves into a particular development path.
I didn’t want to build something that simply replicated what’s already been done; I wanted a fresh, innovative approach." He was quick to stress that the change was not a reaction to on‑track performance or the typical growing‑pains a new team experiences. "It’s not about the teething issues we’ve seen in the early races," he clarified. "It’s about having a clear vision for where we want to go, the speed at which we can progress, and ensuring that aligns with the ambitions of our owners." Reliability has indeed been a major headache for the American‑backed outfit.
In the seven races preceding the summer break, Cadillac managed only a single event where both cars crossed the finish line. Overheating brakes on the MAC‑26 chassis have been a recurring problem, and the team’s data‑gathering capacity has been hampered by frequent mechanical failures. Budkowski, who began his tenure at the factory on the Monday following the announcement, underscored the urgency of fixing these issues.
"We need to resolve our reliability concerns immediately," he said. "Every retirement robs us of valuable mileage, data, and the chance to evaluate the upgrades we bring to the track. As a new team we’re learning together, and failure is part of that learning curve, but we can’t afford to let it stall our development." The new principal also highlighted the importance of a strong, experienced driver line‑up in a debut season. Cadillac secured two seasoned veterans – Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas – who together have amassed more than 500 Grand Prix starts and 16 race victories.
So far, Perez has out‑performed Bottas, and his future with the team has been the subject of speculation, including rumors that he might move to Williams if Carlos Sainz departs. Towriss dismissed those whispers, expressing confidence that Perez will remain with Cadillac through 2027. "Checo has been an incredible asset," he said.
"He’s driven exceptionally well and consistently pushed the car. We have no intention of being distracted by the Williams chatter; our focus is on keeping him in the Cadillac seat." Cadillac has also been linked with younger talent, notably Brazilian F3 champion Rafael Camara, a 21‑year‑old backed by Ferrari who currently sits third in his rookie F2 season. While Towriss affirmed his satisfaction with the current experienced duo, he left the door ajar for future driver changes.
"We do consider the impact a younger driver could have on the team’s progress," he noted. "There are no concrete plans for 2027, but the sport evolves quickly and we must stay adaptable." For Budkowski, the Cadillac role marks his first full‑time F1 appointment since leaving his executive director post at Alpine at the start of 2022.
His résumé includes a stint as the head of the FIA’s technical department until 2017, three years with Renault, and a recent presence in Polish television coverage of the sport. At 49, this will be his fifth different F1 organisation, giving him a rare perspective from both the regulatory side and the team side of the sport. He reflected on how Formula 1 has changed during his four‑year hiatus from a frontline role. "The competition is brutally ruthless now," Budkowski observed.
"Every team is hyper‑professional, and the regulations keep evolving, but the core game remains the same. The key is to influence the rule‑making process in a way that benefits our long‑term strategy." Budkowski also highlighted the impact of the cost cap, noting that teams can no longer simply buy performance or buy their way out of mistakes. "Attention to detail is paramount," he said. "You have to be the best in every department because there’s no financial cushion to mask shortcomings." Towriss reinforced that Cadillac’s ultimate goal is not merely participation but victory.
He spoke of a dual‑track approach: delivering short‑term improvements while laying the groundwork for a future‑focused organization that embraces emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. "We are far from being a winning team today, but that is the endgame for everyone involved," he said. "The sport is undergoing massive regulatory and societal shifts, with AI poised to reshape how teams operate. We must evolve now to define what a Formula 1 team will look like in the next decade." The 2024 season will resume after the summer break with a sprint weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix from August 21‑23, broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Cadillac hopes that the leadership change, rapid reliability fixes, and a clear long‑term vision will translate into stronger performances as the championship heads into its second half.