Approximately one year previously at the Vegas Grand Prix, Cadillac were finally awarded the go-ahead as F1's latest entry for 2026. Constructing the team from nothing has entailed a frenetic pace of work that the principal, Graeme Lowdon, has likened to the NASA lunar mission. As F1 arrives on Las Vegas this weekend, Cadillac know the clock is ticking.
The Countdown to Melbourne
At the season finale of the championship to be hosted in the US, with just over 100 days to go before they take to the track for the first time in Melbourne at the 2026 season opener, the Cadillac F1 project have advanced rapidly but, in what must seem like a never-ending challenge, they are cognizant there will not be enough hours in the day.
The technical director, Nick Chester, came aboard the nascent team in early 2023 shortly after it was created, when the squad were without even an official entry. He has been at its heart from that point and gets a knowing grin when thinking about the ride.
“There might be a short period reflecting at what you have accomplished and say: ‘Incredible, isn’t this fantastic what we have built in under three years,’” Chester states. “Then the very next instant you realize: ‘Well, we still have quite a lot to do.’”
A One-of-a-Kind Challenge
Nick Chester had success at the Renault team in Alonso's title-winning years of the mid-2000s and was in command of technical direction at the then-new Mercedes-Benz Formula E team, but no other project has truly matched the task of launching the iconic American Cadillac marque, a manufacturer-backed entry sponsored by the corporate entity, General Motors, into F1.
“Creating an grand prix team from nothing, how often do you get the opportunity to do that?” he observes. “It's unparalleled. In an well-set team you don’t get the chance to transform organizational mindset.”
With every day that passes thoughts are more focused on the looming moment of truth in Melbourne and targets are being handled.
“One must presume that any incoming team entering the sport is probably going to finish last but simply getting on to the grid will be an accomplishment in itself,” the team principal noted this year and while Chester echoed this he believed the squad had a statement to make as well.
“Our primary goal we want to show is that we deserve to be there,” he emphasizes. “So we turn up and we perform competently. We seek to prove that we are a serious contender performing the proper actions on the track. When we prove that we’re really credible, then we aim to demonstrate forward movement subsequently.”
Pilot Selection and Recruitment Drive
In August they recruited Sergio Pérez and Valtteri as their drivers for the 2026 season, a tandem notable for their vast knowledge in competing at the sharp end in two top-tier teams, Red Bull Racing and Mercedes-AMG, and Bottas echoed the sentiment of fighting spirit.
“Certainly, we’re realistic,” he said. “There’s going to be a massive task to do, and it’s going to be most likely a challenging beginning, because it is F1. But our goal isn't to remain at the rear. I am confident with this structure, with these individuals, these personnel, there’s no reason why we won't be able to advance swiftly to a competitive level and enjoy some success.”
To that end recruitment has been in full swing, with personnel now up to over 400 and intended to attain the objective of 600 members rapidly. Alongside their existing facility at the Silverstone circuit, the organization are in the process of completing an main base at the Fishers location in Indy and there is the General Motors facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they are constructing the plant to manufacture the 2029 engine, set for 2029 – until then they will run Ferrari engines – and the aerodynamic facility in Cologne. It is a sophisticated structure, contrary to the movement in F1 for increased consolidation, and has led to the new cultural approach to which Chester alluded.
Space Mission Inspiration
“It's closely based on the Apollo program,” remarked Lowdon shortly before the British Grand Prix in the summer. “We are pragmatic, we understand how difficult it is. The schedules, are incredibly tight. Alright, we aren't launching a lunar mission, but the pressure is comparable.”
So they have embraced, rather than the conventional chain of command, a decentralized management similar to that of the space agency's, where there were a variety of project teams all tackling different aspects of the mission in a different facilities.
“When you must follow a protocol where someone has a problem and they escalate it to their supervisor, that manager consults a manager at a different location, it is relayed back, it becomes inefficient,” explains the CTO. “So we empower staff to take charge. Eliminating hierarchical consent for everything is so much cleaner and more rapid.”
What Lies Ahead
The efficacy of this agile strategy will be tested in the heat of competition in 2026 and there is a considerable amount on the line for F1, too. The Cadillac team have recruited as their test driver the emerging Californian Colton Herta
