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The American squad announced the change during the summer break, with Budkowski to take charge from next weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix as Cadillac attempts to accelerate its development through the second half of 2026. While Cadillac described the move in its announcement as a “planned leadership transition”, CEO Dan Towriss later revealed to media Lowdon had not agreed to the change and was only informed of the decision on Wednesday morning. “It wasn’t a mutual decision,” Towriss confirmed during a media roundtable. “The process started a few months ago: really thinking about what the next phase for Cadillac Formula 1 looks like, what’s the right timing, how would that look, and then the capabilities of the various folks out there. “We were delighted in the conversation with Marcin and how that relationship evolved. So Graeme and I spoke this morning, so I think it is a very recent conversation from that perspective.” Towriss said keeping discussions with Budkowski private had contributed to the sudden nature of Lowdon’s departure, arguing that allowing the process to become public while Lowdon remained in charge risked unsettling the operation. “There’s no easy way to make this transition within Formula 1,” he said. “It becomes destabilising at that point and so it’s important to respect the view of the leadership that’s in place at that time. “So it does compress the decision-making, the timeline and how these things come together. It makes it feel more abrupt than it would be otherwise. “But it’s the nature of Formula 1 and it’s the way it had to happen.” Lowdon had been one of the central figures in Cadillac’s F1 project long before its arrival on the grid, helping navigate the process of securing an entry before being formally appointed team principal in December 2024. The 61-year-old previously helped establish Virgin Racing ahead of its 2010 debut and served as CEO through its Virgin and Marussia eras, before later working in driver management. Towriss rejected the suggestion Lowdon had only been intended as a short-term figure to oversee Cadillac’s creation, describing his involvement as an almost four-year process. “I don’t think it’s fair to say that he was here in an interim capacity. It really is a function of performance and how things evolved,” Towriss said. “Those are certainly going to be discussions that are going to be kept between Graeme and myself, as to where those aligned and where they didn’t align. “What I can say is, what was accomplished, I have immense respect for. This isn’t an interim period for me and for Graeme, it’s almost a four-year period of planning and building and doing all the pieces.” Lowdon’s departure comes 11 rounds into Cadillac’s first campaign, with the Ferrari-powered newcomer yet to score its maiden point and sitting last in the constructors’ standings. Cadillac entered the championship with one of the grid’s most experienced driver combinations in Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, but its first season was always expected to involve a significant learning curve as an entirely new operation. Speaking to Speedcafe ahead of the team’s debut, Lowdon had stressed that progress rather than immediate results would be the measure of its early development. “We don’t know how competitive everyone is going to be,” he said. “But I think I’ll be happy if we execute well. “So everything that’s within our control, if we execute all of those things well, then I’ll be happy. “Because if we do that, I know that, irrelevant of where we are as a team, we’ll progress. “That’s the most important thing: to keep building and keep progressing.” Responsibility for driving that progression now falls to Budkowski, who returns to an operational F1 role more than four years after leaving Alpine. The 49-year-old Polish-French engineer has spent more than two decades in the championship, beginning with Prost before working at Ferrari and McLaren. He later moved to the FIA, where he rose to a senior position within its Formula 1 technical department, before joining Renault in 2018. Budkowski subsequently became one of the senior figures at the Enstone operation and served as executive director through its transition into Alpine, sharing team leadership responsibilities during the 2021 season before leaving in January 2022. He has since worked in consulting and as a television analyst in Poland. Towriss said Budkowski’s technical and management background made him the right figure to lead Cadillac beyond its initial establishment phase. “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,” he said. “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 organisation and help us develop the winning mindset, tools and processes required for long-term success.” Budkowski said improving the efficiency of Cadillac’s development and decision-making would be among his immediate priorities. “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. “It is a privilege to be leading Cadillac Formula 1 Team’s on-track efforts, starting in Zandvoort next weekend.”