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F1: Cadillac upgrades Team Boss

2026-08-13T15:27:00.000-07:00

No “Schools Out Forever” jokes here, its only Summer break for Formula 1…

Late Wednesday night, I heard the announcement of Cadillac F1 appointing Marcin Budkowski as its new team principal. Surprisingly in the Detroit News Auto section.

I’ll admit that I’d never heard of this Budkowski Chap, who’s 49 years old. Having a long track record in formula 1. Reportedly including senior roles with Prost, Ferrari, McLaren, the FIA and most recently Renault/Alpine. Serving as an executive director. (2017-2022)

The press release is full of the typical boiler plate accolades, with Dan towriss, head of TWG Motorsports and Cadillac formula 1 Team CEO thanking former team principal Graeme Lowdon.

“We’re grateful to Graeme Lowdon for his leadership and the role he played in forming the Cadillac Formula 1 Team from the ground up. His contributions helped establish a strong foundation in our build-up phase, and we thank him for his commitment and wish him well.”

As Budkowski’s appointment is part of their “planned” management “upgrade”, with Budkowski tapped to guide the team forward to more consistent reliability, score crucial F1 Constructors points and progress towards competing for “glory”. The latter being my own words…

Lowdon, now 61 years old, was previously CEO of the long forgotten Virgin and Marussia F1 teams. And I have no idea if this was planned all along, or simply Towriss showing another valued team member, a la Michael Andretti the door? You make the call.

“TWG Motorsports chief executive Dan Towriss confirmed that Lowdon's departure was not agreed mutually and that Lowdon learned of the decision on the morning Cadillac announced it.”

Cadillac replaces Team Principal

F1 Constructor: Cadillac

2026-08-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

This Ain’t no Pink Caddy’

Team

Full Name: Cadillac Formula 1 Team

Base: Fishers, Indiana; Concord, North Carolina; Warren, Michigan; Silverstone, England

Previous Team Name: None

Key Personnel

Team Principal(s) Graeme Lowdon; Dan Towriss, (CEO) Rob White (COO) Chief Technical Officer: Nick Chester

Stats

First Race: 2026 Australian Grand Prix

Races: 11

Wins: 0

Poles: 0

Last Race Win: None

Chassis

Model: MAC-26

Engine: Ferrari 1.6-litre V-6 Turbo (067/6)

Tyres: Pirelli

Drivers

#11 Sergio Perez, Mexico

#77 Valtteri Bottas, Finland

Test/Reserve Drivers) Guanyu Zhou, China; Colton Herta, USA

Summary

It seems a really long time ago now since Mikey a’ was “ousted” from His Andretti Global namesake operation, having competed in IndyCar since 2003 as Andretti Green Racing. With Michael Andretti having begun as Team Green’s third wheel under the Team Motorola banner in 2001…

As I don’t feel like reinventing the wheel over how Dan Towriss and Mark Walters TWG Group took over Andretti Global in order to gain Cadillac the 11th entry on Formula 1’s grid, which has been dissected Ad Nauseam! Being their clever way to diversify their holdings and make money…

GM announces Cadillac Formula 1 Team’s launch

Interestingly, wasn’t aware that Cadillac (331 series V-8) powered Kurtis Kraft roadsters had failed to qualify for the 1952-53 Indianapolis 500, when it was part of the Formula 1 World championship.

While ironically, the team’s debutante F1 chassis designation “MAC” is in honour of Mario Andretti, who serves as an Advisor on their Board of Directors. And possibly as a “Brand” Ambassador?

Past IndyCar champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Symone’, nee Pageantry’, aka Simon Pagenaud is also involved in the Cadillac project. Taking on the role of Simulator Jockey and enjoying the challenge of improving their new racecar.

With Pietro Fittipaldi, Charlie Eastwood and Alex Udell also serving as simulator drivers.

Valtteri Bottas leads the way in the Driver’s scrum with a best finish of 13th at Shanghai. While Checo’, nee Sergio Perez has a pair of 14th place finishes at Barcelona and Silverstone. (As of the Hungarian Grand Prix)

I don’t want to say I’m out of the loop, but! Before beginning this quick dive into Team Caddy’s debut F1 season, I was under the illusion that Checo’ had scored the team’s maiden Formula 1 point. Since I recall hearing somewhere how the team was “outperforming” last place Aston Martin, Youch!

Little did I know, after Sergio had apparently finished tenth at the Monaco Grand Prix. Post-race, Stewards demoted to Perez to 15th – the final car running at race’s end.

As Perez’s car had been out of it’s starting box following a ref flag. With Perez’s penalty ironically moving Frederico Suave’, aka Fernando Alonso into thenth place. Vaulting Aston Martin ahead of Cadillac “One-Nil” in the vaunted Constructors standings.

Regardless, even though I’m barely following Formula 1 this season. I find Cadillac’s efforts most impressive. Having been rejected in 2023, then gaining tentative approval in November, 2024, before final approval in March 2025. Giving a year-plus to design, build, pass scrutineering and successfully debut two team cars Down Under in Bloody Melbourne this March!

Although Cadillac’s utilizing a tried ‘n true Ferrari customer PU (Power Unit) until 2029, when it’s own bespoke General Motors PU comes online. The team could be struggling the reliability issues rival Aston Martin has with it’s Honda and chassis Harmonics issues.

As I’d like to believe that sometime after the F1 summer break, Cadillac will score it’s maiden F1 point, and even better yet, surpass Aston Martin in the Constructors battle…

Can Colton Herta close His Formula 2 Points Deficit?

2026-08-10T10:10:00.000-07:00

Or will His Formula 1 aspirations fizzle?

Still have to commend Colton Herta for making the bold decision to leave IndyCar to chase His dream of racing in Formula 1.

Yet that said, this year hasn’t exactly gone to plan for Herta. Beginning with the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Formula 1 races, where Formula 2 was part of the weekend. We all know how the calendar revisions to race at Miami and Montreal impacted Colton’s plans of running Andretti Global’s fourth Indianapolis 500 entry.

Reportedly, Herta currently has 34 points from His IndyCar Vice Champion (second place) finish in 2024 and seventh place finish in 2025. Putting Him just six points shy of the 40 points threshold required for the mandatory FIA Super Licence to race in Formula 1.

Thus Colton needs to finish eighth or better this year in Formula 2 to collect His Super Licence. Although think I heard Colton can amass one extra point for each F1 Free Practice session He contests?

Points are awarded to the top eight finishers in sprint races. And top ten in feature races, a la F1 scoring format.

Two extra points are awarded for feature race pole position. And a bonus point is awarded for fastest lap in each race, provided it’s set by a driver finishing in the top ten. Otherwise awarded to the fastest driver inside top ten places.

Sprint points: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1.

Feature races: 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1.

In the seven rounds (14 races) prior to the Mighty spa weekend. (Spa-Francorchamps) Colton had scored five top ten finishes, and one top five finish. Finishing seventh, (Australia) eighth (Miami) and seventh (Montreal) in feature races. Plus ninth (Montreal( and fifth (Barcelona) sprint races for a total of 20 points, classified P17. While Norway’s Martinius Stenshorne was eighth with 48 points.

His best weekend was Montreal, where He finished ninth and seventh, albeit one position out of the points in the sprint race.

Following Spa-Francorchamps, with P13 in the Sprint race, and seventh in the Feature race. Moving up one position to 16th overall with 26 points.

Herta finished P14 during Saturday’s Hunga-boring’ Sprint race; one place behind Hitech teammate Ritomo Miyata, 25.7 seconds behind winner Gabriele Mini in what was anything but a boring race.

Sunday’s Hungaroring feature race saw Colton finish a disastrous P19 out of a 22-car field. Nearly one minute adrift of maiden race winner Noel Leon.

As Herta trails current eighth place Laurens van Hoepen (65 points) by 39 markers, still languishing in P16. (26 points) With Hitech teammate Ritomo Miyata P13. (34 points)

Following the summer break, (July 27-Sept 4) five rounds remain. Monza, the brand new Madrid circuit, Azerbaijan’s Baku street circuit and the final two rounds at Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Yet will the stupendous attacking of Iran and the ensuing war impact these final two events for all concerned, including Formula 1? Which with the constant escalation of attacking Iran, these races, and racing in the Middle East in general now seem quite threatened.

Meanwhile, even if Colton achieves His objective and secures a FIA Super Licence, where would He race? Since I’ve already speculated that current Cadillac F1 drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez surely have multi-year contracts?

Yet a somewhat larger obstacle is Colton’s age. Having turned 26 this March 30th. As I cannot think of recently hearing ‘lil Stevie Johnson, aka Stefan Johansson telling Paul Tracy a story about Felix-the-Cat’, who Johansson manages.

Saying He’d rung up Helmut Marco to try getting Felix Rosenqvista test for Formula 1 and Marco said forget it, He’s too old!

FIA F2 points leader Nikola Tsolov is 19yrs old. Campos teammate Noel Leon 21yrs old. Whilst Invicta Racing’s Rafael Chaves Camara is 21yrs old, with teammate Joshua Durksen being 22yrs old.

DAMS Lucas Oil’s Dino Beganovic, a Ferrari Academy driver is 22yrs old and in His second full F2 season. ART Grand Prix driver Kush Maini turns 26 in September. But with 91 starts, 3 wins, 2 poles and 8 podiums in four seasons, I highly doubt will progress to F1. Even if Maini is having His best season to date so far; currently sixth overall when scribbling this. One position ahead of Beganovic.

And lastly is Trident’s John Bennett, age 22. In His sophomore campaign, having won His maiden F2 race in Austria’s Sprint race. Being the first driver to step up to Formula 2 directly from the GB3 championship.

As the following drivers above have won the majority if not all F2 races preceding Hungary.

Then again, Bottas and Perez are both in their mid-thirties, so who knows, Eh?

Especially since Herta’s now completed two Friday (Free Practice) FP1 sessions in Barcelona, replacing Perez. Then at Hungary replacing Bottas, with speculation suggesting Colton’s in-line to replace Bottas next year. Although Valtteri says its complete Balderdash!

As for scoring extra FIA super Licence points when driving in Friday practice sessions. Reportedly a driver can earn up to 10 points over any three year period, gaining one point per session, provided said driver completes a minimum of 100km in that session.

So, will we see Cadillac insert Colton an additional six times during Friday practice and running long to obtain the necessary points? Which increasingly, seems His only pathway left.

Whilst could Cadillac be so bold to go for an all new lineup in the future with Herta and Guanyu Zhou, we’ll “See”.

Good luck Colton!