Cadillac has announced three major senior technical appointments as the American team continues to strengthen its Formula 1 organisation for the future. Craig Skinner, Eric Blandin and Tim Lean will join in key development and aerodynamics roles, bringing experience from Red Bull, Mercedes, Aston Martin, McLaren and Ferrari.
The appointments represent another important step in Cadillac’s long-term technical evolution, with the team seeking to build greater depth across vehicle development, aerodynamics, modelling and simulation. All three engineers are expected to join the organisation over the coming months.
Cadillac signs Craig Skinner as Chief Development Engineer
Craig Skinner will become Cadillac’s Chief Development Engineer after spending around 20 years with Red Bull, where he rose to the position of Chief Designer and played an important role during the team’s run of Formula 1 championship success between 2021 and 2024.
At Cadillac, Skinner will provide technical direction throughout the development process, helping connect the car concept, aerodynamic design, analysis and final delivery of components. He will report directly to Chief Technical Officer Nick Chester.
His arrival gives Cadillac experience from one of the most successful technical organisations of Formula 1’s recent era, strengthening the link between design concepts and their implementation on the car.
Eric Blandin to lead Cadillac aerodynamics department
Eric Blandin has been appointed Head of Aerodynamics. His Formula 1 career includes more than a decade with Mercedes, where he served as Chief Aerodynamicist, before later becoming Deputy Technical Director at Aston Martin.
Blandin will lead the development of Cadillac’s aerodynamics department and, like Skinner, will report directly to Nick Chester.
His appointment is particularly significant for a relatively young Formula 1 operation seeking to strengthen the structures responsible for translating wind-tunnel, CFD and track data into consistent car development.
Tim Lean takes charge of aerodynamic modelling and simulation
Tim Lean completes the trio of senior appointments, taking the role of Chief Engineer – Aerodynamics Modelling and Simulation.
Lean brings extensive experience across several leading Formula 1 teams. His career includes more than 10 years working in aerodynamics at McLaren, six years at Red Bull and more than five years as a principal aerodynamicist at Ferrari.
At Cadillac, Lean will oversee aerodynamic modelling and simulation and will report to Eric Blandin, creating a direct technical structure between the simulation group and the wider aerodynamics department.
Cadillac builds technical depth for long-term F1 ambitions
The three appointments underline Cadillac’s determination to create the technical depth, collaboration and accountability required to support its long-term Formula 1 ambitions.
Rather than concentrating solely on individual areas of car performance, the team is strengthening several interconnected parts of its development structure. Skinner will focus on coordinating the broader vehicle development process, Blandin will lead aerodynamics and Lean will concentrate on the modelling and simulation work underpinning that department.
The combined experience covers some of Formula 1’s most successful teams and championship-winning technical environments, giving Cadillac greater knowledge as it continues to develop its own engineering identity.
Marcin Budkowski welcomes Cadillac’s three new technical leaders
Team principal Marcin Budkowski believes the appointments represent an essential step in strengthening Cadillac’s technical organisation.
“These appointments represent a vital step in the technical evolution of the team,” Marcin Budkowski said. “Bringing together experienced leadership across development, aerodynamics and modelling will help us create a stronger integrated technical organisation and improve performance on track.”
“Craig, Eric and Tim bring race and championship-winning experience to Cadillac F1 in areas that are central to our long-term development.”
All three engineers will join Cadillac during the coming months, giving Budkowski and Nick Chester additional senior expertise as the American team continues building the technical structure it believes will be necessary to move closer to the front of the Formula 1 grid.
Leave a Reply