Approximately one year previously at the Vegas Grand Prix, Cadillac were finally granted the go-ahead as the world of Formula One's latest entry for 2026. Building the squad from the ground up has involved a hectic operating tempo that the team boss, Graeme Lowdon, has likened to the NASA lunar mission. As Formula One descends on Las Vegas this race weekend, Cadillac are aware the deadline is approaching.
The Countdown to Australia
At the final race of the season to be staged in the America, with just over a hundred days to go before they take to the track for the maiden outing in Melbourne at the 2026 opener, the Cadillac F1 project have made significant progress but, in what must seem like a sisyphean challenge, they are aware there will not be adequate time.
The technical director, Nick Chester, came aboard the newly formed operation in the spring of 2023 not long after it was established, when the organization were without even an confirmed place. He has been at its heart since then and gets a amused expression when reflecting on the journey.
“There might be a brief moment looking back at what you have accomplished and think: ‘Wow, how impressive what the team has created in under three years,’” he notes. “But then the following moment you think: ‘Well, we still have a great deal to do.’”
A One-of-a-Kind Opportunity
The CTO achieved victories at the Renault team in Alonso's victorious years of 2005/2006 and was in charge of engineering strategy at the recently formed Mercedes-Benz Formula E team, but no other project has been quite like the mission of launching the quintessentially American Cadillac name, a factory team backed by the owner, General Motors, into F1.
“Establishing an grand prix team from the ground up, how often do you get the opportunity to do that?” he says. “It's unparalleled. In an well-set team you won't have the chance to change cultural approach.”
With each day that goes by minds are more focused on the approaching critical moment in Melbourne and goals are being handled.
“It's reasonable to expect that any incoming team joining the grid is likely to start at the back but simply getting on to the grid will be an feat in itself,” Graeme Lowdon commented earlier this year and while Nick Chester agreed with this sentiment he thought the team had a statement to make as well.
“Our primary goal we intend to prove is that we should be there,” Chester explains. “So we show up and we operate well. We aim to demonstrate that this is a professional operation executing the right things on the track. After we have demonstrated that we’re really credible, then we will focus on improvement subsequently.”
Pilot Selection and Hiring Drive
In August they signed Sergio Pérez and Bottas as their drivers for 2026, a duo distinguished for their priceless expertise in competing at the sharp end in two top-tier teams, the Red Bull team and the Mercedes team, and Valtteri Bottas reflected the sentiment of determined optimism.
“Naturally, we are pragmatic,” Bottas stated. “We have a huge amount of work to do, and it will likely be probably a tough opening, because it's the top level of motorsport. But we aren't joining to remain at the rear. I am confident given this organization, with these individuals, these people, there’s no reason why we can't manage to advance swiftly up to the pace and enjoy some success.”
To achieve that goal hiring has been in overdrive, with personnel now at over 400 and intended to attain the target of 600 members quickly. Complementing their existing facility at the UK base, the squad are in the midst of finishing an HQ at Fishers in Indy and there is the GM plant in Charlotte, where they are building the facility to produce the power unit, set for 2029 – for now they will operate with power from Ferrari – and the Toyota wind tunnel in Cologne. It is a sophisticated organisation, contrary to the trend in Formula One for increased consolidation, and has inspired the new cultural approach to which Chester alluded.
Apollo Inspiration
“It’s highly modelled on the Apollo program,” said Graeme Lowdon shortly before the British GP in mid-season. “We have a clear-eyed view, we understand how tough it is. The timelines, are incredibly tight. OK, we’re not putting a man on the moon, but the pressure is comparable.”
So they have embraced, as opposed to the conventional chain of command, a flat management structure similar to that of the space agency's, where there were a variety of specialist groups all working on different aspects of the mission in a different facilities.
“If you have to go through a process where a challenge emerges and they raise it up to their team leader, that manager communicates with a leader in another department, it is relayed back, the process is very slow,” says the CTO. “We give authority to staff to handle things directly. Eliminating management approval for each action is so much cleaner and more rapid.”
Upcoming Challenges
The success of this agile methodology will be proven in the pressure of racing in 2026 and there is no little amount at stake for F1, too. Cadillac have signed as their development driver the emerging Californian Colton Herta
