Cadillac F1 CEO confirms Lowdon dismissal was not mutual

Cadillac Formula 1 CEO Dan Towriss has confirmed that Graeme Lowdon's departure as team principal was not a mutual decision, revealing the founding boss was informed only on the morning of the announcement. The American outfit, still searching for its first points after 11 races in its 2026 debut season, moved swiftly to install former Alpine executive Marcin Budkowski as his replacement for the rest of the campaign and beyond.

Why it matters:

Lowdon spent nearly four years assembling the Cadillac project from scratch, overseeing its entry into the sport and the construction of its infrastructure. While a scoreless debut season is largely in line with expectations for a brand-new team, ousting the architect at the summer break signals a dramatic shift in philosophy. In Formula 1, mid-season team principal changes are rare and usually indicate that ownership has lost patience with the current trajectory or envisions a different long-term structure.

The Details:

• Towriss said the process began months ago as he evaluated the team's next phase. He took full ownership, stating plainly, "It was my decision."
• Lowdon was notified on the day of the public announcement. Towriss defended the compressed timeline, arguing that any earlier leaks would have become a destabilizing distraction within the paddock.
• The CEO rejected the notion that Lowdon was merely an interim appointment, acknowledging his four-year effort to build the team's infrastructure from the ground up.
• Performance was cited as the ultimate catalyst, though Towriss kept the specifics of his conversations private. Cadillac currently sits last in the constructors' championship without a point.
• Budkowski, who served as Alpine's executive director until early 2022 and has since worked as a television pundit, now takes the reins with immediate effect.

What's next:

Budkowski inherits a team that is still building its permanent factories and establishing its internal culture, making his immediate challenge one of stability rather than overnight performance gains. His background with the FIA and Alpine should prove valuable in navigating F1's political and technical landscape. The next phase of Cadillac's development will reveal whether this ruthless change injects the urgency required to climb the grid—or merely adds unnecessary turbulence to a team still finding its footing in its inaugural year.