Approximately twelve months ago at the Vegas Grand Prix, Cadillac were ultimately awarded the official approval as Formula One’s newest entry for the 2026 season. Building the squad from scratch has involved a hectic pace of work that the team boss, Graeme Lowdon, has likened to the Apollo program. As the sport descends on the Vegas strip this race weekend, Cadillac are aware the clock is ticking.
The Countdown to Melbourne
At the season finale of the campaign to be held in the America, with around a hundred days to go before they take to the track for the first time in Australia at the 2026 season opener, Cadillac have made significant progress but, in what must seem like a monumental endeavor, they are cognizant there will never be sufficient time.
The technical director, Nick Chester, became part of the nascent project in March 2023 soon after it was established, when the squad were without even an official entry. He has been at its heart ever since and enjoys a knowing grin when thinking about the journey.
“You might get a short period thinking back at what you have accomplished and say: ‘Wow, what an achievement what the team has created in less than three years,’” Chester states. “And then the next minute you realize: ‘Yes, there is still quite a lot to do.’”
A Unique Opportunity
Nick Chester achieved victories at Renault in the driver Fernando Alonso's victorious years of 2005/2006 and was in charge of technical development at the recently formed Mercedes-Benz Formula E team, but no previous experience has truly matched the challenge of introducing the quintessentially American Cadillac marque, a factory team sponsored by the owner, General Motors, into F1.
“Creating an grand prix team from nothing, how often do you get the opportunity to do that?” he says. “It is like nothing else. In an existing team you won't have the chance to transform cultural approach.”
With each passing day that elapses minds are increasingly concentrated on the impending moment of truth in Australia and targets are being handled.
“You have to assume that any new team coming in is likely to start at the back but simply getting on to the grid will be an feat in itself,” Lowdon noted this year and while the CTO shared this view he thought the team had a reputation to build as well.
“The initial objective we intend to prove is that we should be there,” he emphasizes. “So that we arrive and we perform competently. We aim to demonstrate that we’re a proper team executing the correct procedures on the circuit. After we have demonstrated that we’re really credible, then we want to show progression after that.”
Driver Lineup and Recruitment Push
In late summer they contracted Checo Pérez and Valtteri as their drivers for the 2026 season, a duo remarkable for their priceless expertise in performing at the front in two championship-winning squads, the Red Bull team and Mercedes, and the Finnish driver echoed the attitude of combative optimism.
“Naturally, we’re realistic,” he said. “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 our goal isn't to finish last. I am confident with this setup, with these individuals, these personnel, it's entirely possible we can't manage to progress rapidly to the front and achieve good results.”
To that end hiring has been in top gear, with personnel now up to more than 400 and scheduled to hit the objective of 600 members swiftly. In addition to their present headquarters at the Silverstone circuit, the organization are in the process of finishing an main base at Fishers in the Indianapolis area and there is the GM works in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they are developing the center to manufacture the power unit, planned for the 2029 season – in the meantime they will use Ferrari engines – and the Toyota's wind tunnel in Germany. It is a complex organization, at odds with the direction in the sport for increased consolidation, and has inspired the innovative team culture to which the CTO referred.
Space Mission Inspiration
“It's closely based on the Apollo project,” stated Lowdon shortly before the British Grand Prix in the summer. “We are pragmatic, we understand how difficult it is. The deadlines, they’re super, super, super short. Alright, we aren't launching a lunar mission, but it feels like it sometimes.”
So they have implemented, as opposed to the traditional management structure, a flat management structure comparable to that of NASA's, where there were a variety of project teams all tackling distinct elements of the project in a variety of locations.
“If you have to go through a procedure where an issue arises and they escalate it to their manager, that supervisor communicates with a supervisor somewhere else, it travels back down, it’s super slow,” explains Nick Chester. “We give authority to team members to take charge. Moving away from management approval for all decisions is far more efficient and quicker.”
The Future
The efficacy of this agile strategy will be proven in the pressure of racing next season and there is no little amount at stake for the sport, too. The Cadillac team have recruited as their test driver the 25-year-old American Colton Herta
