There’s nothing uncommon a couple of staff principal holding a press convention earlier than the beginning of a brand new System 1 season. However this week, that staff principal wasn’t making ready at staff to race in Melbourne this weekend.
Graeme Lowdon was named as the primary staff principal of the brand new Cadillac F1 staff late final yr and began full-time in that position after the ultimate race of 2024. However regardless of being the spokesperson and chief for the primary new staff in a decade — and with an thrilling highway forward — you wouldn’t have heard a lot from him previous to March.
Cadillac felt the timing wasn’t proper to go round publicly talking about its deliberate entry in 2026 till it had official affirmation of its place on the grid. System One Administration (FOM) had introduced in November that it was working in direction of making that occur, and the FIA had already permitted the staff as an appropriate new entrant, however there have been nonetheless additional assessments that F1 needed to do.
Having accomplished the industrial and technical evaluation it needed in collaboration with Cadillac, F1 and the FIA confirmed the staff had met its necessities final Friday, formally approving its place within the sport.
And with that, the staff can begin telling its story.
There’s loads to cowl as you possibly can think about, however Lowdon just isn’t upset that Cadillac solely has certainty over its program10 months earlier than it must run a automotive for the primary time.
“For positive, we would like every thing a lot earlier, that goes with out saying,” Lowdon stated. “However we’ve revered the method all through. It’s been extremely thorough. That’s one factor I might spotlight.
“In actual fact, I might say it’s been unprecedented, , when it comes to the extent of scrutiny and so forth. And so we’re very grateful to the FIA and to FOM for finishing up such thorough analysis. However the flip aspect of that’s now for the primary time we’re truly away from any restriction in any way and we are able to act like some other staff and time in all fairness brief. However that’s simply a part of the problem, and we simply must rise to it and take care of it and get on with it.
“Would we’ve most popular to have affirmation a lot earlier? Sure, in fact we might. However we’ve revered the method and that is the timing that we’ve been given. So, we simply have to maneuver forward and ensure we do one of the best job we probably can.”
Cadillac has usually talked about the truth that its work was persevering with apace, even previous to getting any type of affirmation it could be on the grid, and it had to take action in an effort to be prepared for 2026. Lowdon says it’s a provided that the staff should be on time with its first automotive, and so crash testing has already been happening, with a primary chassis due within the subsequent two weeks.
However in case you thought the late affirmation can be offset by a freedom to do no matter it likes as a brand new staff not presently racing in F1, assume once more.
“When it comes to the laws that we fall below, mainly, we must be below the ’26 laws like each different staff,” Lowdon stated. “After which there are different laws which we’ve agreed to be below this yr, which I feel, once more, is unprecedented. I feel, for instance, when Haas got here in, they weren’t below any regulation in any respect till they went racing. However there are specific laws that we’re adhering to both by settlement or in some situations by selection — by our selection as effectively.
“So, the entire technique of coming in is totally different from how some other staff’s been capable of are available prior to now.”
Graeme Lowdon has loads to do in a short while as staff principal at Cadillac F1. Andy Hone/GettyImages
For a lot of followers, some of the thrilling features of Cadillac’s arrival would be the addition of two new race seats, and extra alternatives for drivers. That in flip results in a big give attention to who will kind the primary driver line-up for the staff, with names akin to Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas and Colton Herta all put to Lowdon in his preliminary look.
It’s one other space the place the staff must play catch-up, having been unable to be an element within the driver market because it went by a remarkably unstable interval over the previous 12 months.
“I feel when it comes to timing, it’s sort of a bit of bit odd as a result of we’re out of sync with the opposite groups,” he conceded. “We weren’t within the driver market throughout the sort of pretty crucial final spherical. So sure drivers are tied up for sure intervals.
“However there’s nonetheless a variety of extraordinarily good expertise round. So I don’t actually see that essentially as a limiting issue. Will we worth expertise? Sure, you possibly can see that from how we’re placing the remainder of the staff collectively.
“There’s a variety of very skilled folks throughout the administration and operational aspect of the staff as effectively. So, sure, that’s vital. However like ever, whenever you’re taking a look at driver choice, there’s only a complete bunch of issues that go into the choice making. It’s capability, functionality, expertise, but additionally wanting in direction of the long run as effectively. I do know it’s not one of the best reply on this planet as a result of it doesn’t give a steer of which path we could also be getting in. Nevertheless it’s the actual reply — which is, that’s just about what we’re analyzing on the minute.”
The evaluation has been ongoing for a while, however the lack of an official entry made it powerful for Cadillac, and potential drivers, to commit. Very like Lowdon now with the ability to function in a public capability, he additionally lastly will get to speak with certainty to a listing of potential drivers that he says is a minimum of six names lengthy.
“I feel it’s vital for us to speak to plenty of potential candidates. Will we see skilled, succesful drivers — in truth, very proficient drivers — who presently aren’t on the grid? Sure, we do.
“We’re going to be fairly busy speaking to a couple folks. My telephone’s actually been busy, that’s for positive. What’s a bit of bit tough due to the scenario that we’re in as a brand new staff, the timeline isn’t as laid out because it usually is.
“It’s usually fairly clear for all of us concerned in driver negotiations. We’re out of sync with these discussions purely due to historical past. However there are simply half a dozen, if no more, candidates on the market who supply extraordinarily good credentials to be in System 1. Or to be in System 1 once more.”
Primarily based on the motion proven thus far, F1 and the FIA have now backed Cadillac’s credentials as effectively. Alongside a serious preparation part for the staff, now it’s the time for speaking, too.
