WHY CADILLAC HAS DECIDED TO ACT NOW AND REPLACE LOWDON WITH BUDKOWSKI

Cadillac fired Graeme Lowdon as team principal mid-season and installed Marcin Budkowski in his place, a move CEO Dan Towriss admits came faster than planned. Lowdon learned he was out the morning of the announcement—it wasn't mutual. The American outfit says it needs a "technical team principal" for what comes next, and Budkowski's résumé—engineering stints at Ferrari and McLaren, regulatory work at the FIA, leadership at Alpine—checks the boxes.

Towriss pointed to communication breakdowns at the Indianapolis factory and untapped GM resources, especially AI tools, as reasons for the change. The timing gives Budkowski a window to shape the 2027 car. Lowdon was essential during the build-up, but Towriss wanted to pivot before the team calcified into old patterns.

For an American squad trying to crack the grid's established order, the shake-up signals urgency. Whether Budkowski can unlock GM's corporate toolbox depends on how fast he can rewire a team still finding its identity.