Marcin Budkowski will begin his tenure as Cadillac F1 team principal at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix, taking charge of the American team for the first race weekend of Formula 1’s second half. The former Alpine executive arrives at a pivotal stage of Cadillac’s debut campaign after replacing Graeme Lowdon as team principal.
The summer break gave the Formula 1 paddock an opportunity to recharge, but the return to racing will carry particular significance for Cadillac. Zandvoort will provide Marcin Budkowski with his first direct experience of working with the team during a Grand Prix weekend, and the Sprint format means there will be very little time to settle in before the competitive sessions begin. The complete timetable is available in the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix schedule.
Marcin Budkowski will observe before changing Cadillac
The new Cadillac team principal does not intend to immediately overhaul everything that has been established during the opening half of the season. Marcin Budkowski’s first priority will be to understand the organisation from within and study the processes governing the team’s work throughout a race weekend.
“This is my first week with the team, and the Dutch Grand Prix is my initial opportunity to observe our trackside team in operation,” Marcin Budkowski explained. “I’ll be taking the time to meet everyone – though there are many familiar faces – listen to them, and understand how the team works.”
That cautious approach also reflects Marcin Budkowski’s broadly positive assessment of Cadillac’s debut season. The new team principal believes there is already a firm platform on which to build after the progress made during the opening half of 2026.
“The team has made a strong start to its F1 program, there is a solid foundation on which to build, and I’m excited to make progress in the second half of the season,” Marcin Budkowski added.
Sergio Perez targets a strong second-half start
The second half of the season will also represent an important phase for Sergio Perez. The Mexican welcomed the opportunity to switch off following an especially intense opening half of the championship, but he is equally eager to return to the cockpit.
“After an intense first half of the season, it is good that everyone gets some downtime in August, but it also feels great to be back at a racing circuit,” Sergio Perez said. “The second half of this season presents a new range of challenges but also hopefully some great opportunities, and I can’t wait to get started. I am looking forward to getting up to speed quickly with Marcin and the rest of the team.”
Sergio Perez will therefore need to adapt quickly to the methods introduced by Cadillac’s new team principal as the team attempts to make the most of the opportunities available during the remaining races.
Valtteri Bottas expects immediate pressure at Zandvoort
Valtteri Bottas shares that sense of urgency and sees the Sprint format as one of the weekend’s principal challenges. With only one practice session before the competitive action begins, any mistake in preparing or setting up the car could prove particularly costly.
“The Dutch Grand Prix is going to be an interesting test, with the Sprint weekend format requiring everyone to be at their very best from the moment we arrive at the circuit,” Valtteri Bottas explained. “It is also Marcin’s first race with Cadillac F1 and I am sure he will bring a fresh approach to how we go racing.”
Marcin Budkowski’s work begins with understanding what already functions effectively within Cadillac before identifying where changes are required. That measured process will shape the team’s attempt to continue progressing during the second half of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
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