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Marcin Budkowski is officially in action mode. Having taken over from Graeme Lowdon as Cadillac Team Principal in the summer, the 49-year-old finds himself leading Formula 1's newest outfit just under two months into the job.
His resume is stacked with pedigree. He has spent time with championship-winning outfits like Prost Grand Prix, Ferrari, and McLaren—where he rose to Head of Aerodynamics in 2012—alongside a stint at the FIA working across technical and sporting divisions as well as Deputy Race Director, and a four-year run as Executive Director of Alpine that ended early in 2022. Between his departure from Alpine and his current gig, he kept his hand in the paddock through media punditry work with Eleven Sports Poland and Viaplay.
Until we stand on that podium, we are not happy with ourselves and we want to continue pushing,
Sitting down inside his office at the Sepang International Circuit as the team's next home race in Austin fast approaches, Budkowski described his appointment as a whirlwind. He started the exact same day the team moved into their new Silverstone facility. Given that Cadillac received approval to join the grid in March 2025, the pace has been relentless, forcing the squad to take necessary shortcuts whose consequences they are now seeing.
That reality is precisely why Budkowski spent his opening weeks listening and observing before enacting change. "I'm in this mixed phase now where I'm still meeting people, still having one-to-ones, still trying to spend time in the factory or in the garage," he explains. He notes that the project is backed by TWG Motorsports, General Motors, and the prestigious Cadillac name, offering a rare chance to heavily influence a building team.
Leadership for Budkowski is built on transparency, directness, and decisive execution. "There's a time for discussion and there's a time for action," he says, pointing out that his direct communication style fits right in with the American leadership. While he acknowledges that his media experience helped him stay sharp and understand how the outside world perceives the sport, he is clear that it is his deep engineering and operational background that truly counts.
Looking ahead, Budkowski warns that there are no shortcuts in modern Formula 1. His immediate goal is to show progress on the stopwatch and track results, improve organizational maturity, and steer the team toward fighting in the midfield before eventually setting sights on podiums and wins. "Until we stand on that podium, we are not happy with ourselves and we want to continue pushing," he says.
