– As the only team in the 2026 Formula 1 season, Cadillac is still without points at the summer break. According to team principal Graeme Lowdon, this is no surprise. He said: “We are still in the middle of building up. It’s like building an airplane while flying it – or a ship while already sailing it.”
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His team cannot possibly keep up with other teams after only eleven race weekends in Formula 1, who have been active in motorsport’s “king class” for years. “We are still building our infrastructure,” explained Lowdon. Other teams already have this infrastructure – and thus a decisive advantage.
So it will still take time for Cadillac to catch up. “There is still an incredible amount to do,” said Lowdon. “Next to my desk lie safety shoes with steel caps and a construction helmet because we regularly visit construction sites. A huge one is currently being built in Indianapolis, a smaller one in Silverstone. In addition, our engine partner is building its factory in Charlotte. At the same time, we continue to hire new employees.”
Why Formula 1 is “like school” for Cadillac
At the same time, Cadillac races in Formula 1. However, Lowdon primarily sees the Grands Prix as extended test drives with the MAC-26: “In the second quarter, we had the first opportunity to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of our car. The same applies to the operational processes in our team.”
Photo series: The motorhomes of the Formula 1 teams 2026
“We like to say internally: Every day is a school day. If we don’t learn something new in a day, then it was a wasted day. That’s why we are constantly looking for areas where we can improve.”
But even after half a year in Formula 1, progress is slow: “At the moment, it’s still about big topic blocks because so much is new and so much still needs to be done. We haven’t yet reached the point where it’s only about fine-tuning,” explained Lowdon. That is the big difference to the established teams.
Is Cadillac years behind in Formula 1?
When will Cadillac reach this point? Lowdon is realistic: “I actually believe it will take years.”
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He refers to famous examples from Formula 1 history: “The common feature of all successful teams is stability. One could ask: What made Jean Todt so successful at Ferrari? Probably five or six years in which the team didn’t even win. The decisive factor was stability – it was built step by step.”
Is Cadillac just trailing behind in 2026?
For Lowdon, good personnel is crucial in this development. His credo: “You get the best people – not only in technology but also in the commercial area and all other departments. Then you make sure they have everything they need for their work and let them do their job.”
“I am firmly convinced that in this way a high-performance team will eventually emerge. But that also takes time. Many foundations have to be created first. We often talk about data and its evaluation, but first you have to collect this data at all.”
Even Haas is miles ahead of Cadillac
Here, the other Formula 1 teams clearly have an advantage. Even Haas, as the second youngest team in the field, is miles ahead of Cadillac with its now ten years of experience. “That is a huge difference,” said Lowdon. “We, on the other hand, have never been on the tracks of the second half of the season with our car.”
World Championship points therefore still seem unrealistic for Cadillac. Lowdon seems to share this assessment: “So there are still very many puzzle pieces that have to be put together first. And that simply takes time.”
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