Cadillac sets four priorities as Budkowski targets reliability 'major obstacle'

Cadillac has mapped out a clear recovery plan for the remainder of its debut Formula 1 campaign, with new team principal Marcin Budkowski immediately targeting reliability as the outfit's most pressing concern. TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss confirmed four focus areas for the second half of 2026: keeping the cars running, unlocking more performance from the MAC-26, tightening process organisation at the factory, and building a stronger team culture.

Why it matters:

Between them, drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez have already suffered nine retirements this season, leaving Cadillac second only to Aston Martin in the DNF standings. Budkowski, who was brought in after Graeme Lowdon's departure, stressed that there is "no point going to a race to not participate," arguing that persistent reliability failures are blocking the team's chance to learn and develop the car.

The details:

• Reliability first: Budkowski wants to "sort out the reliability issues as quickly as possible," viewing them as the single biggest barrier to progress for the rookie operation.
• Performance without pressure: Rather than chasing points or Q2 appearances, Towriss says the squad is focused on extracting "every thousandth of a second" from the current package.
• 2026 upgrades: Additional parts are still planned for this season, though Towriss insists these will not derail the parallel development of the 2027 challenger.
• Factory culture: Towriss highlighted communication, leadership, and accountability as crucial to raising standards behind the scenes at the American outfit.

What's next:

If Cadillac can cure its chronic unreliability and sharpen its internal processes through the closing months of 2026, the groundwork could be laid for a far stronger sophomore season. Budkowski knows that fixing the fundamentals off the track is the only realistic path toward moving up the grid in the years ahead.