Cadillac names Peter Crolla as race team manager ahead of its 2026 launch
Cadillac chose former Haas team manager Peter Crolla to steer its nascent racing operation ahead of its 2026 Formula 1 debut.
Crolla, who spent nine years steering Haas from its founding in 2016, was approached by Graeme Lowdon—now replaced by Marcin Budkowski as team principal—when the automaker cut a long‑term path into the sport.
“I was ready for a new challenge and wanted to rebuild a team from scratch,” Crolla told Motorsport.com after the Belgian Grand Prix. “The autonomy and excitement were unparalleled.”
Foundations laid in nine months of intensive prep
The new squad launched from an empty facility in Silverstone in April, with Crolla coordinating alongside head logistics manager Pete Simmons and chief mechanic Nathan Divey. Together they turned the idea of a travelling trackside outfit into a ready‑to‑race operation in nine months.
“We worked with trusted suppliers, put pressure on performers and, most importantly, demolished any excuse for missing a component or process,” Crolla explained. “Every decision, from car builds to pit‑stop procedures, had to be executed at the highest standard.”
A recruitment sprint amid long notice periods
Recruitment required an aggressive tempo as the car industry’s average notice period hovered between three and six months. “People were already on long‑term notice or were booked with other teams,” Crolla said, noting that most hires joined mid‑2025 and had no honeymoon phase before hitting the field.
“Everyone had to get stuck in immediately and tackle daily workloads of deliveries, testing sessions and logistical coordination, and the team rose to the challenge,” he added.
Delivering on expectations: from arrival to reliability
Cadillac met every internal and external deadline, culminating in its first race at the Australian Grand Prix. “Showing up was the first milestone; reliability was the next,” Crolla reflected. “Over time, endurance issues surfaced, particularly in the sprint races, and we learned that operational hurdles must be chased aggressively.”
While the squad lagged behind Aston Martin in the field, the experience was characterised by “blood, sweat, and tears,” he noted, emphasizing that “the long‑haul nature of building an F1 car rewards those who persist through setbacks.”
Infrastructure expansion and long‑term focus
Looking ahead, the team will operate a new U.S. headquarters in Fishers, Indiana, while also expanding its UK base at Silverstone. “The launch of racing is only a stage in building the organisation,” Crolla said, stressing that “all discrete areas must converge before full scale becomes evident.”
With Budkowski at the helm, Cadillac’s ambition is to go beyond an introductory entry, turning the fledgling endeavour into a sustainable competitor built on experienced personnel and disciplined processes.
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