Cadillac Replace Graeme Lowdon With Marcin Budkowski as F1 Team Principal

F1 newcomers Cadillac appoint Marcin Budkowski team boss

From FIA to Ferrari: Marcin Budkowski named Cadillac F1 team principal.

Cadillac complete planned leadership switch, Budkowski takes over F1 team...

Cadillac have replaced their team principal just half a season into their Formula 1 debut. On Wednesday, the new team announced Marcin Budkowski will take over from Graeme Lowdon with immediate effect, calling it a move that had been planned.

Budkowski is a 49-year-old Polish-French engineer. He has previously worked at Ferrari and McLaren, and also held a role with the FIA, F1’s governing body.

Briton Graeme Lowdon, 61, had run General Motors-backed Cadillac since 2024. He oversaw the team’s entry as F1’s 11th constructor, building the staff and getting the cars to the grid for their debut in Melbourne last March.

Cadillac are still the only team without a point after 11 races this season, which was widely expected for a new outfit. Still, with experienced drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, they have often looked stronger than Aston Martin.

Cadillac said in a statement that bringing in Budkowski will support the team’s long-term push to become more competitive.

“His appointment follows a planned ⁠leadership transition as the organization moves out of its initial build phase and into the next stage focused on racing performance,” Cadillac said. The team also thanked Lowdon for his work.

Dan Towriss, CEO of Cadillac F1 and head of team owners TWG Motorsports, said Budkowski “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.”

Budkowski began his F1 career with the now-defunct Prost team in 2001, then moved to Ferrari before joining McLaren in 2007.

He shifted to the FIA in 2014 as technical and sporting coordinator. In 2017 he joined Renault F1, later staying on as executive director at Alpine until 2022.

“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,” he said.

Get to know Cadillac's incoming Team Principal, Marcin Budkowski 🔗 https://t.co/fZLgFP8pFJ#F1 pic.twitter.com/gM9GtTEmER

— Formula 1 (@F1) August 12, 2026

F1 returns from its European summer break with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on August 23.