Cadillac's Formula 1 team principal Graeme Lowdon has defined success for the team's 2026 season opener in Melbourne as executing well and earning respect from rivals. Joining the grid as the 11th team amid new regulations, Cadillac emphasizes controllable aspects over uncertain results. The team aims to compete, contribute to the sport, and engage more fans.
Cadillac is set to enter Formula 1 in 2026 as the 11th team, coinciding with a new wave of regulations that leave competitive standings unpredictable. Team principal Graeme Lowdon, speaking at the Autosport Business Exchange in London, outlined a measured approach to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
"It's difficult. Success in terms of the Melbourne race - nobody knows that, nobody knows where anybody's going to finish," Lowdon said. He added, "If you ask any team principal at the minute where they think they'll be competitively, if they give you a relative answer, then they're just making it up. Nobody knows, which is why the fans tune in."
Lowdon stressed focusing on internal execution: "We look at the things that we can control ourselves. And obviously, we want to execute well as a team, but nobody really sees that externally. One of the things that we've often said is the first target for us is to earn the respect of the other teams. We respect them, rightly so. This is a world championship. So that's the first target for us."
Beyond competition, Cadillac seeks to contribute to Formula 1's growth. Lowdon referenced discussions with Jim DeLorenzo, Apple's global head of sports, highlighting exciting plans to expand the sport's reach. "I'm passionate about motorsport, but I still think that we've got a massive opportunity to take this sport to more and more fans, and we want to contribute to that as well," he noted.
The team wants active fan involvement: "So a key thing for us is we don't want fans to follow what we're doing. We want them to join us."
Cadillac will reveal its 2026 livery in a Super Bowl advertisement on February 8, followed by pre-season testing the next week. The Australian Grand Prix is scheduled for March 6-8.
