Just halfway through the season, former FIA man, Marcin Budkowski has been appointed team principal at Cadillac.

Budkowski joins the team with more than two decades of F1 experience and will help lead the team's continued operational growth and long-term competitive development. His appointment follows a planned leadership transition as the organization evolves from its initial build phase into the next stage of racing performance.

The Pole, whose F1 career began with Prost in 2001, subsequently spent six years with Ferrari as aerodynamics team leader, before joining McLaren. In 2014 he joined the FIA as 'Task Force Leader'. In 2015 he was appointed Formula 1 technical and sporting coordinator at the FIA and subsequently head of the sport's governing body's Formula 1 technical department in 2017.

His surprise move to Renault in 2018 was strongly objected to by a number of rival teams fearing that his knowledge would give the French team an unfair 'insider' advantage. He left in early 2022.

"Marcin's appointment marks another important step in the continued evolution of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team," said Dan Towriss. "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."

"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," Towriss continued. "His contributions helped establish a strong foundation in our build-up phase, and we thank him for his commitment and wish him well."

Budkowski's F1 experience spans engineering, regulatory and executive leadership. Throughout his career, the 49-year-old Polish/French engineer has worked across multiple championship-winning organizations, overseeing engineering, technical, sporting and operational functions while helping shape the future direction of F1 through team and regulatory leadership. The polyglot is widely recognized throughout the paddock for his expertise in technical development, competition strategy and organizational leadership, and has recently been advising teams, drivers and motorsport organizations across the global racing industry.

"Cadillac Formula 1 Team has an extraordinary foundation and ambition," said Budkowski. "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. 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."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Celtic Tiger, 59 minutes ago

"To @Max Noble's point, I think they've made a lot of poor decisions coupled with some bad luck (i.e. Michael Bay lawsuit being an unwanted distraction). The severe lack of down force and consistent brake issues clearly point to a poorly designed chassis. When your operation is a shotgun spread across the globe I no doubt think getting something done is like that scene in the movie "Ford v Ferrari", when Matt Damon's Carol Shelby is pointing to a red folder in Ford's office saying he sat in the lobby watching that same folder pass through four other people's hands and no doubt poked at by 22 others before it landed in Ford's office. Which I suspect to some degree is happening at Cadillac F1 in its current state.
Also, if the reports are to believed that Towriss issued a move to the U.S. or leave ultimatum to their UK workforce at a time when the team is floundering is another ill-timed and poorly executed decision. That being said, when looking into it further, I can see why they let Lowdon go. With Lowdon at the helm the qualifying pace has improved since the first race but the race pace deficit has consistently gotten worse. How much added turmoil this will cause will remain to be seen, so good luck to Budkowski stepping into all of that, let's see if he can point the team and development back in the right direction. But, Jesus, Towriss & Co. are not making it easy."

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2. Posted by doobs, 5 hours ago

"Well,

I think @Max Noble hit the nail on the head.

Sounds like another F1 organization that is floundering a bit at present......"

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3. Posted by Max Noble, 7 hours ago

"Thus commences the slow slide into under performing. Once they have multiple HQs in differing countries, and a senior executive that fires for 10 days of under performance… well.. Let’s see. It simply is not a long term view. Towriss has a very high opinion of his own ability and intellectual prowess. "

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4. Posted by moomoo, 22 hours ago

"@Laps. Maybe he did but his laughter down the phone line was answer enough and Towriss didn't like to admit it?"

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5. Posted by Burton, 22 hours ago

"The release calls it a planned transition but the quote about Lowdon is typical "football manager getting sacked unceremoniously" speak."

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6. Posted by Laps, 23 hours ago

"Interesting that Mr Horner seems not to have under consideration!"

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Lowdon out at Cadillac

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