Electric Cars

The Cadillac Formula 1 team has recently strengthened its engineering leadership with the recruitment of three highly experienced individuals, signaling a clear intent to elevate its competitive standing in the sport. This move comes as the team prepares for its second season, facing both strategic development goals and external financial scrutiny.

Cadillac's Strategic Engineering Reinforcement

In a significant development for the Cadillac Formula 1 team, three accomplished engineering professionals have joined its ranks. These pivotal appointments, announced on September 24, 2026, include Craig Skinner, who previously served as chief designer for Red Bull and was instrumental in developing the championship-winning RB19 car; Eric Blandin, former deputy technical chief at Aston Martin; and Tim Lean, an experienced aerodynamicist with past tenures at McLaren, Red Bull, and Ferrari. Skinner assumes the role of chief development engineer, Blandin takes charge as head of aerodynamics, and Lean will operate as Chief Engineer for Aerodynamics Modelling and Simulation, reporting directly to Blandin.

The Cadillac team, which debuted this season as the 11th expansion team with drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, aims to accelerate its development trajectory. Under the leadership of newly appointed Team Principal Marcin Budkowski, who replaced Graeme Lowdon during the summer break, the focus is on streamlining procedures and leveraging resources from co-owner General Motors. Budkowski emphasized that these hires are crucial for creating a more integrated technical organization and improving on-track performance, bringing a wealth of championship-winning experience to key areas of development, aerodynamics, and modeling. This strategic enhancement is unfolding while the team establishes new facilities, including a UK headquarters in Silverstone and a state-of-the-art base in Fishers, Indiana, and navigates ongoing investigations into its majority owner, Mark Walter of the TWG Global group.

This strategic influx of talent underscores Cadillac's ambition to become a formidable contender in Formula 1. By attracting top-tier engineers with proven track records from leading teams, Cadillac is clearly investing in a future where technical prowess and innovation drive success. This commitment, amidst the backdrop of ownership challenges, speaks to the resilience and long-term vision for the team, indicating a potentially transformative period ahead in their Formula 1 journey.

Lewis Hamilton has been called to face Formula 1 officials following an incident during Friday's second practice session at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Ferrari competitor is accused of hindering Liam Lawson, who was in the middle of a fast lap, resulting in a potentially hazardous situation on the track.

During the practice session in Baku, Hamilton was observed recuperating energy in the final sector. Concurrently, Lawson was pushing hard in his Racing Bulls car. This disparity in speeds led to a rapid closure between the two vehicles, forcing Lawson to take evasive action at the penultimate corner. The young driver immediately voiced his frustration over the team radio, describing the situation as "so dangerous." His race engineer, Alexandre Iliopoulos, echoed this sentiment, confirming the severity of the incident.

Subsequently, both Lawson and Hamilton were summoned to meet with the stewards at 5:30 PM local time. The outcome of this meeting could result in a grid penalty for the world champion, depending on the stewards' findings. An official statement from the FIA indicated an "alleged breach of Article B4.1.1 of the FIA F1 regulations" concerning Hamilton's alleged impeding of Lawson at Turn 19 at 4:33 PM.

The increased closing speeds witnessed on track are a direct consequence of the new-for-2026 regulations, which place a greater emphasis on electric power and, consequently, energy management. Hamilton himself acknowledged this factor when discussing the incident after the second practice. He noted the lack of specific data or simulations to guide drivers on how much distance is needed when one car has significantly less power than another in certain parts of the track. He explained that he was four seconds ahead but as he went into Turn 18, his car lost power, closing the gap rapidly. Hamilton stressed that such a situation could happen to any driver and emphasized the need for clearer guidelines to prevent future occurrences, as no driver intentionally seeks to interfere with another's lap.

The incident highlights the challenges drivers face with the updated regulations, particularly in managing energy during critical moments of a lap. As the sport evolves with new rules, the need for precise guidelines and clear communication becomes paramount to ensure both fair competition and driver safety.