Cadillac has axed Graeme Lowdon as Team Principal after only 11 grands prix of its Formula 1 existence, and brought in ex-Alpine chief Marcin Budkowski.
Lowdon was among Cadillac’s first hires and was instrumental in creating the team from scratch prior to it receiving its entry into Formula 1.
In a surprise development on Wednesday, ahead of the season resuming at next weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, Cadillac announced that Budkowski has been appointed as its new team principal.
“Marcin’s appointment marks another important step in the continued evolution of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team,” said Dan Towriss, CEO of Cadillac’s 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 organization and help us develop the winning mindset, tools and processes required for long-term success.
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Ex-Alpine chief Marcin Budkowski has replaced Graeme Lowdon as Cadillac F1 team principal.
“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. His contributions helped establish a strong foundation in our build-up phase, and we thank him for his commitment and wish him well.”
Budkowski, 49, held senior aerodynamic roles with Ferrari and McLaren, before a stint at the FIA was followed by him joining Renault as its executive technical director, a position he held through its transition into Alpine.
He has remained in the paddock since his exit from Alpine in early 2022, acting as a consultant, alongside a punditry role with Polish TV.
“This is a phase of huge opportunity for the team, one that will be defined by a clear objective: maximizing car development within the cost cap and turning every team function on to compete,” said Budkowski.
“That means building an elite organization 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.
“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.”
U.K.-based Phillip Horton started covering Grands Prix while still at university and swiftly deemed that writing about Formula 1 and the behind-the-scenes machinations was much more engaging than reading centuries-old novels. Degree gained, he went on to cover the sport full-time from 2014 and is as intrigued and excited by the destinations Formula 1 visits during its lengthy annual world tour as the racing itself. Phillip joined Autoweek in 2021 and while he has just about learned to spell in American English he has yet to find anywhere in America that makes a proper cup of tea.