# Cadillac F1 faces leadership change and development hurdles > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/sergio-prez-monaco-gp-setbacks > Updated: 2026-08-12T16:56:28.000Z. Sources: 75. Developments: 18. After eleven races, the US‑owned Cadillac Formula 1 team remains winless and 11th in the Constructors' Championship, with zero points and nine retirements. Reliability problems, primarily recurring brake‑overheating failures, have limited the squad to only four race finishes and restricted data collection. Despite the lack of points, team principal Graeme Lowdon previously defended the driver lineup, stating that Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez have done a “spectacular job” in developing the car. Lowdon noted that Bottas’s role was crucial to the rapid build-up, while Pérez’s qualifying performance provided a necessary balance for the rookie outfit. However, the team has undergone a major leadership shift. Marcin Budkowski, an experienced veteran with a background at Ferrari, McLaren, and Renault, has replaced Graeme Lowdon as team director. Budkowski is tasked with strengthening technical expertise and strategic leadership as the team manages significant growing pains. Sergio Pérez has emphasized that the team must accelerate development processes to compete with established structures. Infrastructure projects continue to expand. While the team currently utilizes Ferrari power units, it plans to transition to GM Precision Power Units once they become operational in 2029. The new factory in Fishers, Indiana, is expected to begin operating in stages starting in 2027, supplementing existing facilities in Silverstone and Charlotte. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-12: Cadillac appoints Marcin Budkowski as new F1 Team Principal Cadillac has replaced Team Principal Graeme Lowdon with Marcin Budkowski, an experienced engineer formerly with Alpine, to lead its Formula 1 team during its debut 2026 season. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cadillac-formula-1-appoints-marcin-budkowski-as-team-principal ### 2026-08-10: Valtteri Bottas faces uncertain future with Cadillac F1 team Valtteri Bottas's future at Cadillac F1 is uncertain following criticism from Guenther Steiner regarding his motivation during a difficult 2026 season. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/valtteri-bottas-faces-uncertain-future-with-cadillac-f1-team ### 2026-08-07: Cadillac faces infrastructure hurdles in Formula 1 debut Cadillac's Formula 1 debut is marked by significant infrastructure challenges, with team principal Graeme Lowdon describing the effort as ‘building an airplane while flying it’ as they develop new facilities. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cadillac-f1-team-targets-top-spot-while-grappling-with-early-season-struggles ### 2026-08-06: Cadillac's Formula 1 project gives Simon Pagenaud a new career role Simon Pagenaud joins Cadillac's Formula 1 project after a 2023 crash, while the team fields Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez and faces debate over driver experience versus youth. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cadillacs-formula-1-project-gives-simon-pagenaud-a-new-career-role ### 2026-08-05: Cadillac F1 team earns C‑grade mid‑season with no points Cadillac's 2026 F1 debut sits 11th with zero points after 11 races, nine retirements, near‑point in Monaco, and ongoing reliability work on its MAC‑26 car. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cadillac-f1-team-scores-zero-points-in-debut-2026-season-amid-reliability-woes ### 2026-08-03: Cadillac F1 Team Praises Bottas and Perez for Strong Debut Season Cadillac F1 chief Graeme Lowdon says drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez have done a spectacular job, confirming he would keep them despite the team’s still‑zero‑point debut season. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cadillac-f1-team-praises-bottas-and-perez-for-strong-debut-season ### 2026-07-23: Cadillac F1 team still point‑less as Bottas says major performance leap needed Cadillac's debut F1 team remains without points; Bottas says a big performance boost or luck is needed, while Pérez points to recent progress after a Monaco point was revoked. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cadillac-f1-team-still-pointless-as-bottas-says-major-performance-leap-needed ### 2026-07-11: Cadillac F1 makes strides yet stays in midfield ‘no man’s land’, Bottas says Bottas says Cadillac F1 is improving after both cars finished at Silverstone, but the team remains in midfield ‘no man’s land’ and aims to boost pace with upgrades for the Belgian GP. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cadillac-f1-makes-strides-yet-stays-in-midfield-no-mans-land-bottas-says ### 2026-07-05: Cadillac F1 completes British Grand Prix with both cars finishing Cadillac F1's Perez and Bottas finished 15th and 17th at Silverstone, marking the team's first race completion after Austria retirements and signaling progress ahead of Spa. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cadillac-f1-completes-british-grand-prix-with-both-cars-finishing ### 2026-07-04: Sergio Pérez to start 20th at British Grand Prix Sergio Pérez qualified 20th for the British Grand Prix after balance issues with his Cadillac and received a 10‑second sprint penalty for contact with Fernando Alonso. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sergio-prez-to-start-20th-at-british-grand-prix ### 2026-07-02: Sergio Perez regains confidence at Cadillac, eyes stronger Formula 1 performance Sergio Perez says his confidence is back after joining Cadillac, near a first team point at Monaco, and stresses the next months are critical for the team's development. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sergio-perez-regains-confidence-at-cadillac-eyes-stronger-formula-1-performance ### 2026-06-24: Cadillac unveils major upgrade package for Austrian Grand Prix Cadillac will bring a major upgrade package, including new side‑pods and floor for extra down‑force, to the Austrian Grand Prix, with Bottas and Pérez hopeful of scoring the team’s first F1 points. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cadillac-rolls-out-major-upgrade-package-for-austrian-grand-prix ### 2026-06-10: Cadillac F1 team targets Barcelona redemption after Monaco penalty After a Monaco penalty dropped Sergio Perez to 15th, Cadillac F1 aims for a strong, error‑free race in Barcelona to regain points and momentum. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cadillac-f1-team-targets-barcelona-redemption-after-monaco-penalty ### 2026-06-09: Cadillac F1 Team Heads to Barcelona GP Motivated After Monaco Penalty After losing Monaco points due to a penalty, Cadillac F1 approaches the Barcelona Grand Prix motivated, with Pérez, Bottas and reserve Colton Herta targeting a clean weekend and a chance to score points. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cadillac-f1-team-heads-to-barcelona-gp-motivated-after-monaco-penalty ### 2026-06-08: Checo Pérez loses historic point for Cadillac after Monaco penalty Checo Pérez crossed the line tenth at the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, but a 10‑second penalty demoted him to fifteenth, costing Cadillac its first Formula 1 point. Pérez called the sanction a disappointment after a 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/checo-prez-loses-historic-point-for-cadillac-after-monaco-penalty ### 2026-06-07: Cadillac loses first F1 point after Sergio Pérez penalty at Monaco Cadillac's debut point at Monaco was stripped after Sergio Pérez received a ten‑second false‑start penalty, promoting Fernando Alonso to 10th. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cadillac-loses-first-f1-point-after-sergio-prez-penalty-at-monaco ### 2026-06-06: Sergio Perez penalty strips Cadillac of first F1 point at Monaco Sergio Pérez’s post‑race 10‑second penalty at Monaco stripped Cadillac of its first F1 point, promoting Fernando Alonso to score the point for Aston Martin. 24 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/checo-prez-hits-car-fire-and-drivethrough-penalty-at-monaco-grand-prix ### 2026-06-05: Sergio Pérez eyes first Q2 of season despite Monaco brake fire Sergio Pérez’s Monaco practice was halted by a brake‑fire, but his 14th‑place FP1 and optimism keep a Q2 qualification hope alive. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sergio-prez-eyes-first-q2-of-season-despite-monaco-brake-fire --- Cite as: Cadillac F1 faces leadership change and development hurdles. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/sergio-prez-monaco-gp-setbacks