Just In: F1 team boss reveals brutal nature of high-profile…Read more

Just In: F1 team boss reveals brutal nature of high-profile sacking

Formula 1 has once again shown just how quickly fortunes can change behind the scenes, following Cadillac’s decision to remove founding team principal Graeme Lowdon midway through the team’s debut season. The announcement came during the summer break and surprised many within the paddock, particularly because Lowdon had played a central role in building the American outfit from the ground up and guiding it onto the Formula 1 grid in 2026.

Cadillac CEO Dan Towriss has now offered a clearer explanation of the decision, revealing just how difficult and abrupt the process was. Lowdon was informed about his departure on the morning Cadillac announced the leadership change, with Marcin Budkowski immediately named as his replacement. Towriss acknowledged that there was no easy way to carry out such a major change within a Formula 1 team.

The timing made the decision even more striking. Cadillac had only completed the first half of its inaugural Formula 1 campaign, meaning Lowdon’s departure came just months after the team finally achieved its long-awaited entry into the championship. The 61-year-old had been instrumental in developing the project before Cadillac became the sport’s 11th team.

Towriss, however, insisted that the change was not simply a reaction to the team’s disappointing results. Cadillac remained the only team without a championship point after the opening 11 rounds, but the CEO said the bigger issue was the direction of the organisation and the need to prepare for its next stage of development.

According to Towriss, the leadership transition had been discussed as part of the team’s longer-term plans. Lowdon and Towriss had spent almost four years building Cadillac’s F1 operation, and the intention was eventually to hand responsibility to another leader once the project moved from its construction phase into a more performance-focused period.

That transition, however, arrived earlier than expected.

Towriss described the moment as a narrow window of opportunity in which Cadillac could make a significant change without allowing the uncertainty to disrupt the organisation for too long. He also explained that informing Lowdon shortly before the announcement was necessary because a lengthy internal transition could have created instability throughout the team.

Budkowski now takes charge at an important moment. The Polish-French engineer brings extensive Formula 1 experience, having previously worked with major organisations including Ferrari, McLaren, the FIA and Renault/Alpine. His responsibility will be to help Cadillac move beyond its launch phase and concentrate more heavily on extracting performance from its car and developing the organisation for the future.

For Lowdon, the circumstances represent a particularly tough ending to an important chapter. He helped transform Cadillac from a developing project into a fully operational Formula 1 team, yet he will now watch from outside as another leader takes the organisation forward.

The situation highlights the unforgiving nature of Formula 1. Years of preparation and hard work can establish a team, but once the championship begins, expectations quickly shift towards performance and results. Leadership decisions can therefore arrive with little warning, even when the person involved has played a major role in building the project.

Cadillac now faces the difficult task of proving that the leadership change can accelerate its progress. The Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort will provide Budkowski with his first opportunity to lead the team during a race weekend, while the rest of the season will reveal whether the change produces the improvements Cadillac’s management is seeking.

For Lowdon, meanwhile, his contribution to Cadillac’s arrival in Formula 1 remains a significant part of the team’s history. But as the latest leadership change demonstrates, Formula 1 can be an intensely demanding environment where yesterday’s achievements do not necessarily guarantee tomorrow’s position.