Valtteri Bottas has opened up on the surprising management shake-up at Cadillac, saying the decision to replace Graeme Lowdon with Marcin Budkowski as team principal remains a big question mark.
As widely reported, Cadillac announced during the summer break that Lowdon had been removed from his role, just months before the team's Formula 1 debut in 2026. CEO Dan Towriss cited the team's 'future direction' as the reason, though speculation linked the move to persistent reliability issues.
Ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, Bottas admitted the sudden change caught him off guard. However, after a direct conversation with Towriss, he now understands the rationale. "A big change like this in the middle of the season is always initially surprising. But after Dan explained the reasons, I respect that," said Bottas.
The former Mercedes driver also expressed regret over Lowdon's exit, calling him a friend and a key figure in preparing the team for its first race. "It's a real shame it was Graeme who left. He's not just a friend; he also did a great job setting up the team. My hat off for that," he added.
On the other hand, Bottas welcomed Marcin Budkowski with an open mind. Despite having never worked with him before, he is optimistic about building a quick rapport. "I don't know Marcin that well yet, but in the coming days we'll spend a lot of time together," he said.
When asked whether he agrees with Cadillac's decision, Bottas chose not to speculate. "Like with any change, time will tell what's good and what's bad. I can't predict the future. My working relationship with Graeme was strong, and that's personal," he concluded.
Cadillac remains the only team on the grid yet to score a point, adding pressure on Budkowski to quickly turn things around before the 2026 season begins.
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