Valtteri Bottas has had his say on the sudden dismissal of Graeme Lowdon from the role of Cadillac team principal, describing it as the "American way" to make reactive and abrupt changes, a move that might be hard to digest in the European paddock.
Cadillac announced Lowdon's departure at the end of the summer break, despite the Brit having built the team from scratch over the past three years. He has been replaced by Marcin Budkowski, the former Alpine executive director who had been working as a pundit since 2023. This marks his first team principal role in Formula 1.
For Valtteri Bottas, losing Lowdon is not just a professional matter; there is a strong personal bond. "A big change like this in the middle of the season is always initially surprising," Bottas told select media, including RacingNews365. "But then speaking with Dan, etc., explaining to me all the reasons why this change has happened, and I respect that. If we just keep everything the same, we're never going to progress, so we're going to change some things."
Despite that, Bottas did not hide his disappointment. "It's a real shame that it is Graeme who got out because, first of all, he's a friend of mine. I also think he's done a great job setting up the team, getting ready to be on the grid in the first race, so my hat's off to him for that," he added.
On the other hand, Bottas welcomed Marcin Budkowski. "I don't know him that well from the past. I've seen him around, but for sure, in the next few days, we're going to spend a lot of time together," said Bottas, who also acknowledged that this decision is part of the new dynamics of the American-owned outfit.
Lowdon's exit has indeed surprised many, especially as Cadillac had just shown a positive start to its debut season despite issues like brake cooling. Bottas believes the team's top brass, including TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss, are not afraid to make sudden changes for the sake of the future.
Read Also
Liam Lawson kembali ke Red Bull di GP Belanda menggantikan Isack Hadjar yang cedera. Kesamaan power unit jadi kunci adaptasinya di sprint weekend Zandvoort.
Kimi Antonelli akan menerima penalti grid di GP Italia, Monza, demi menjaga peluang gelar juara F1 2025. Keputusan diambil untuk memaksimalkan peluang di trek yang mudah menyalip.
FIA uji filter mikroplastik di GP Belanda Zandvoort untuk tangkap partikel ban dan polutan. Teknologi ini berpotensi diterapkan di jalan raya umum.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!