A shock mid-season management change has hit Cadillac F1 Team. The American outfit has replaced founding team principal Graeme Lowdon with Marcin Budkowski, a 49-year-old Polish engineer with a rich Formula 1 pedigree.
The decision comes after a series of struggles. Despite building the team from scratch and meeting every deadline to secure their spot on the 2026 grid, on-track performance has fallen short. Production issues, build quality, and recurring brake problems have frustrated drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez. Perez even admitted in Belgium that he expected the team to be further along.
Budkowski brings vast experience from Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, and the FIA. His mandate is clear: fix the team's weaknesses and speed up development. However, he must also lift morale, which took a hit from the abrupt management call.
Bottas, who was brought in by Lowdon, had mixed feelings. "I think a big change like this in the middle of the season is always initially surprising," he said in the Zandvoort paddock. "But then Dan (Towriss, CEO) explained to me all the reasons why this change and I respect that. Something needed to change. Some of the issues we've had were just dragging along."
Meanwhile, Cadillac is said to appreciate Lowdon's cooperation following the shock decision. Without him, the team might never have made it to the grid. All eyes are now on Budkowski to deliver results. The 2026 season is still long, and the pressure is on to turn things around quickly.
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