F1: Lowdon Not Warned of Sacking

Dan Towriss, team boss of the Cadillac F1 operation, has disclosed that Graeme Lowdon was not given prior notice of his termination. Lowdon's appointment as former Manor team boss had initially raised some eyebrows, but he was seen as making progress in the monumental task of building a global F1 team from scratch.

However, the team announced his dismissal and replacement by Marcin Budkowski during the summer shutdown. Towriss stated in a media conference call, "It was my decision. It wasn't a mutual decision. The process started a few months ago, thinking about what the next phase for Cadillac Formula 1 looks like. What's the right timing, how would that look, and then the capabilities of the various folks out there."

"We were delighted with the conversation with Marcin and how that relationship evolved," Towriss continued. "So Graeme and I spoke this morning. I think it is a very recent conversation from that perspective."

"But there's no easy way to make this transition within Formula 1," he admitted. "Can you imagine the press if Marcin strolled through for a tour of the factory or having these conversations? It becomes destabilising at that point and so it's important to respect the view of the leadership that's in place at that time."

"It does compress the decision-making, the timeline and how these things come together. It makes it feel more abrupt than it would be otherwise, but it's the nature of Formula 1 and it's the way it had to happen."

When questioned if Lowdon had always been a "stop gap," Towriss replied, "I don't think it's fair to say that he was here in an interim capacity. It really is a function of performance and how things evolved."

"Those are certainly going to be discussions that are going to be kept between Graeme and myself, as to where those aligned and where they didn't align. What I can say is, what was accomplished, I have immense respect for. This isn't an interim period for me and for Graeme, it's almost a four-year period of planning and building and doing all the pieces. So it was the right time based on the circumstances that exist both within the sport and within the team and so this is the right time and the right place to make that step going forward."

"Anytime we're making a transition in Formula 1, as you guys know, it's very difficult. It's very difficult to keep it quiet, that there weren't a myriad of leaks around that. But here we are. We're again very grateful to Graeme for what he brought to the team and very excited about Marcin's leadership and what the future looks like for Cadillac."

The team has opted for Marcin Budkowski, a leader with a strong technical background in the sport. However, Cadillac faces numerous challenges, exacerbated by its global operational structure. Towriss acknowledged these as "teething issues" common in new organizations, emphasizing the need for improved communication, organization, and morale during the development phase.

"As we look to the future, we're looking at a model with a very strong technical team principal," he continued. "And I think if you look at Marcin's background, what he's accomplished in Formula 1, he certainly fits the bill."

"Also, I think the time that Marcin has had away from Formula 1 provides him with a perspective to look at both how F1 has evolved and developed, look at the resources across General Motors and TWG, and really look at what a future vision of a Formula 1 team can look like."

A key aspect of this vision involves closer physical and technical integration with GM. While a significant portion of F1 talent is based in the UK, the team is shifting towards a more US-centric approach by expanding its operations in other locations, rather than relocating existing personnel.

"We're also looking at innovation capabilities from other industries," Towriss added, mentioning aerospace and other sectors as potential sources of innovation, along with leveraging GM's available tools and integrating them across all global sites.