Just over one year previously at the Vegas Grand Prix, the Cadillac racing team were at last awarded the go-ahead as the world of Formula One's newest entrant for 2026. Building the squad from nothing has entailed a intense work rate that the principal, Graeme Lowdon, has compared to the Apollo program. As Formula One arrives on Vegas this weekend, the team are aware time is getting tight.
The Countdown to Melbourne
At the last event of the championship to be held in the America, with around a hundred days to go before they make their debut for the inaugural time in Melbourne at the 2026 season opener, Cadillac have advanced rapidly but, in what must seem like a monumental challenge, they are conscious there will not be sufficient time.
The CTO, Nick Chester, became part of the embryonic operation in early 2023 soon after it was created, when the squad were without even an confirmed place. He has been at its center from that point and gets a wry smile when reflecting on the experience.
“There might be a brief moment reflecting at what you have accomplished and think: ‘Amazing, what an achievement what we’ve done in under three years,’” Chester states. “Then the following moment you think: ‘Well, we still have a great deal to do.’”
A Unique Challenge
The CTO had success at the Renault team in Fernando Alonso’s title-winning seasons of 2005 and 2006 and was in control of technical development at the new Mercedes Formula E team, but nothing has truly matched the challenge of introducing the iconic American Cadillac marque, a factory team backed by the owner, General Motors Corporation, into Formula One.
“Creating an Formula One team from scratch, how often do you get the opportunity to do that?” he says. “There's nothing comparable. In an established team you rarely get the possibility to change team culture.”
With each day that passes focus are sharper on the looming decisive point in the Australian GP and expectations are being set realistically.
“You have to assume that any incoming team joining the grid is probably going to finish last but simply getting on to the grid will be an feat in itself,” Graeme Lowdon commented this year and while Nick Chester agreed with this sentiment he felt the squad had a statement to make as well.
“The first thing we intend to prove is that we belong on the grid,” Chester explains. “In order that we arrive and we perform competently. We seek to prove that we’re a proper team doing the proper actions on the circuit. Once we prove that we’re really credible, then we want to show progression subsequently.”
Driver Lineup and Team Building Effort
In late summer they signed Sergio Pérez and Bottas as their racers for 2026, a duo distinguished for their priceless expertise in operating at the sharp end in two top-tier teams, Red Bull and Mercedes, and the Finnish driver reflected the attitude of determined optimism.
“Certainly, we are pragmatic,” he commented. “We have a huge amount of work to do, and it will likely be probably a difficult start, because this is Formula One. But we’re not there to remain at the rear. In my view with this structure, with this group, these personnel, it's entirely possible we won't be able to get relatively quickly to a competitive level and achieve good results.”
To that end staff acquisition has been in top gear, with employees now up to over 400 and intended to attain the objective of 600 members quickly. Alongside their present headquarters at the Silverstone circuit, the organization are in the process of building an HQ at Fishers in the Indianapolis area and there is the GM works in North Carolina, where they are building the facility to manufacture the power unit, scheduled for 2029 – for now they will operate with Ferrari engines – and the aerodynamic facility in Cologne, Germany. It is a intricate structure, contrary to the trend in the sport for increased consolidation, and has inspired the new cultural approach to which the CTO referred to.
Apollo Inspiration
“We've drawn heavily from the Apollo project,” remarked Lowdon ahead of the British Grand Prix in mid-season. “We are pragmatic, we know how difficult it is. The deadlines, they’re super, super, super short. OK, we aren't launching a lunar mission, but the pressure is comparable.”
So they have adopted, rather than the usual hierarchical system, a flat management structure akin to that of NASA's, where there were a variety of Apollo teams all tackling different aspects of the program at a variety of locations.
“When you must follow a procedure where someone has a problem and they escalate it to their manager, that leader consults a manager in another department, it is relayed back, it’s super slow,” says Chester. “Therefore we enable team members to handle things directly. Moving away from hierarchical consent for each action is much smoother and more rapid.”
Upcoming Challenges
The success of this agile strategy will be proven in the intensity of Grand Prix in 2026 and there is a significant degree at stake for F1, too. Cadillac have signed as their development driver the emerging Californian Colton Herta
