Old acquaintance

Team principal official! New F1 team takes shape

Cadillac, Michael Andretti's team, which recently announced that it will become the eleventh team to enter Formula 1 for the 2026 season, has announced its team principal.

The 59-year-old Briton Graeme Lowdon is returning to the premier class. In the 2010s, he was CEO of the then Virgin team, which was later renamed Marussia and Manor. Manor contested its last season in Formula 1 in 2016, with current Formula E champion Pascal Wehrlein, among others. Lowdon is also the manager of Sauber driver Guanyu Zhou.

Lowdon most recently headed the Manor Motorsport team in the WEC, which deals with aerodynamics, chassis and component development, software and simulation of vehicle dynamics.

Graeme Lowdon will become Formula 1 Team Principal from 2026.(Bild: GEPA)

"I am very honored to be appointed Team Principal of this exciting new team and I would like to thank everyone involved for their trust. I believe that Formula 1 is the best team sport in the world and teams are always about people. We are a team that loves racing and has the desire to race, and we have the experience and know-how to do just that. Racing is at the heart of everything we do. That's what I want to see in a team and I really want to be a part of it," said newly appointed Team Principal Lowdon in a statement from the team.

General Motors President Mark Reuss on the team principal decision: "Graeme has given us a lot of pleasure over the last two years and we are delighted that he will be leading our journey into Formula 1 2026 as team principal. He has great racing expertise, he knows how to put together a high performing team and he embodies the values that the Cadillac Formula 1 team will represent in all its endeavors on and off the track."

At the end of November, Formula 1 opened the door for General Motors. From 2026, eleven teams will be on the grid, including Audi/Sauber. Colton Herta, Daniel Ricciardo, Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou are being touted as possible drivers.