Cadillac has appointed Marcin Budkowski as Team Principal in a planned leadership change. He replaces Graeme Lowdon after the first phase of the Formula 1 project. Budkowski will begin his trackside duties at the Dutch Grand Prix next weekend.
The appointment gives Cadillac an experienced technical leader during its first Formula 1 season. His immediate work covers car development, factory systems and spending under the cost cap. Cadillac wants every department to receive the same information at the right time.
A planned change after the launch phase
Cadillac described the move as the next stage of its Formula 1 programme. Lowdon led the organisation while it recruited staff and prepared its first car. That task required close work across bases in the United States and Britain.
Team ownership thanked Lowdon for building the original structure and guiding its early operations. His departure was presented as an organised transition rather than an immediate reaction. Budkowski now receives a team that already competes every race weekend.
Budkowski brings technical and regulatory experience
Budkowski has worked for several Formula 1 teams during a long technical career. His previous employers include Prost, Ferrari, McLaren and the Renault-owned Alpine operation. Those roles covered design, aerodynamics, management and wider technical planning.
He also held a senior position at the FIA before joining Renault in 2018. That experience gave him a detailed view of Formula 1 regulations and procedures. He later served as Alpine Executive Director until leaving the team in 2022.
The car remains the central responsibility
Cadillac needs steady development while learning how its new car behaves at different circuits. Budkowski will coordinate the technical groups that study performance, reliability and production. He must also decide which improvements offer useful gains within the annual budget.
Formula 1’s cost cap makes timing especially important for a new organisation.
A promising idea still needs design time, parts and testing before reaching the circuit. Poor coordination can consume money without delivering a faster or more reliable car.
Zandvoort provides his first trackside weekend
The Dutch Grand Prix will be Budkowski’s first event in the new position. Zandvoort has fast corners, banking and limited space around its narrow layout. The weekend will show how he works with engineers during live practice sessions.
He will not transform the car through one set of meetings. His first task is understanding the existing reporting lines and current development schedule. Cadillac can then adjust responsibilities without interrupting preparations for later races.
Information flow matters across several bases
Cadillac operates through people and facilities located on both sides of the Atlantic. Engineers must share accurate data before decisions reach design and production teams. Delays become costly when a new part has little time before shipment.
The team wants its tools, staff and information to work as one system. Budkowski has managed departments with different technical roles during previous Formula 1 jobs. That background suits a programme still joining several working groups together.
Experience does not remove the scale of the task
A new team must improve performance while also strengthening basic race operations. Pit work, reliability, spare parts and simulation all compete for attention during the season. Cadillac cannot treat any single area as the complete answer.
Budkowski inherits that broad challenge during a demanding part of the calendar. The appointment gives him authority over decisions that affect both present results and future development. Progress will depend on consistent work across many separate race weekends.
The next races will establish the new structure
Cadillac has made the leadership change before the final stretch of the season. That timing gives Budkowski several events to assess the car and working methods. He can compare factory plans with the problems observed at each circuit.
Lowdon completed the initial building phase and handed over an active Formula 1 team. Budkowski now leads the next period with a stronger technical focus. His first public test begins when Cadillac arrives at Zandvoort.
Why this appointment comes during the season
Cadillac has already gathered enough race data to identify its main organisational limits. A new principal can now compare factory reports with problems seen during live weekends. That evidence makes the handover more precise than a change completed before the first race. Budkowski also arrives before planning for the next car reaches its final stages. Decisions made now can affect research, production schedules and the use of simulation tools. He can review those priorities while the current car continues competing. His regulatory background matters because technical choices must remain inside detailed Formula 1 rules. The cost cap adds another layer to every development decision. Cadillac needs performance gains that fit both technical and financial limits.
The immediate calendar includes circuits with very different demands after Zandvoort. That variation will expose whether one weakness appears everywhere or only at selected tracks. Budkowski can use those comparisons before changing the team’s longer development plan. Leadership also includes communication with drivers, sponsors and team ownership. Each group needs a clear explanation of current priorities and realistic timelines. A technical improvement still requires patience when design and production cannot be completed immediately. Cadillac has chosen an experienced Formula 1 manager instead of promoting an untested outsider. The appointment therefore reduces the time needed to learn the sport’s basic procedures. Budkowski can focus first on understanding this particular organisation and car.
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