Cadillac has made the first major change of its short stint in Formula 1, with Graeme Lowdon suddenly replaced as team principal by ex-Alpine team boss Marcin Budkowski.The General Motors-backed squad only entered F1 for the first time at the start of the 2026 season, with Lowdon having led the team since December 2024 — three months before its F1 entry was finally formally granted following a long saga for the project that began life as Andretti.Lowdon, 61, had been involved in building the team for over two years before he was hired as team principal.But after Cadillac’s first half-season in F1 — where it is yet to score a point and with the team sitting last of the 11 teams in the constructors’ championship — Lowdon’s time in the role is over.In a Cadillac statement released on Wednesday, Budkowski’s appointment was described as following “a planned leadership transition as the organization evolves from its initial build phase into the next stage of racing performance.” But there had been little suggestion of such a move when Lowdon attended the recent Hungarian Grand Prix in late July.“Marcin’s appointment marks another important step in the continued evolution of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team,” said Dan Towriss, Cadillac team CEO and of its majority owner, TWG Global.“From the beginning, our goal has not been simply to participate in Formula 1, but to build a next-generation team capable of competing at the very front. As we enter this new era for the team, Marcin brings exceptional F1 experience, technical expertise and strategic leadership that will strengthen our organization and help us develop the winning mindset, tools and processes required for long-term success.”Budkowski’s F1 career stretches back to the early 2000s, when he worked as an engineer for the Prost team. He then joined Ferrari during its highly successful run from 2002-2007, before going to McLaren and later working for the FIA.He is best known for his one-year stint leading Alpine during the 2021 season, where the squad won the Hungarian GP with former driver Esteban Ocon.Budkowski’s appointment (initially to lead its technical team) when the team was known as Renault (its majority owner) in 2017 caused consternation amongst rival teams due to his previous work as the FIA’s F1 technical boss. This meant he had knowledge of how car designs of the era worked across the grid.Since leaving Alpine in early 2022, Budkowski has mainly been seen in the F1 paddock working as a TV pundit. He and Towriss will hold a press conference later on Wednesday.