Amid pride at making debut, Cadillac keeping larger objectives in mind

Cadillac’s debut race in Formula 1 at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix is “just the beginning” of its journey, says the team’s CEO Dan Towriss.

Melbourne marks the first race for the newest team on the F1 grid, with Cadillac finally receiving approval of its entry in March of last year. That has led to a huge task preparing Cadillac to be able to deliver a car for the 2026 season while simultaneously establishing team infrastructure, and Towriss says the start of competitive action provides the first opportunity for the team to start proving itself.

“This weekend is a historic moment for the Cadillac Formula 1 Team,’’ Towriss said. “This car represents thousands of hours of relentless work across the U.S. and Europe and the commitment of hundreds of people who believe we can build something worthy of this stage.

“Seeing the Cadillac Formula 1 Team line up for its first grand prix is a proud moment for all of us. In Formula 1, nothing is given. Everything is earned. This weekend is just the beginning.’’

Team principal Graeme Lowdon told SiriusXM that so much focus has been on being ready to race for the first time in Australia that Cadillac should celebrate it, even if he doesn’t want the team to see that as mission accomplished.

“It's something that's been on the horizon for such a long time now,” Lowdon said. “We've had these countdown clocks on the walls of every office, both here [at Silverstone] and in our premises in the U.S., and it's even on the lock screen of my phone counting down to FP1 in Melbourne.

“But it's really exciting. I think for everyone involved, it's a real special moment. But also, we've made it really clear to everyone that Melbourne isn't the objective, just the start. We race a week after in Shanghai, and as you know, Formula 1 is relentless, and so it keeps going.

“But I have to say that from my point of view, I'm just incredibly proud of the job that everybody's done in the team, both in the UK and in the U.S., and throughout our partners as well at TWG and General Motors, Cadillac.

“It's really phenomenal, and I took a little moment to step back in Bahrain and just take it all in. There's a Formula 1 team that looks like a Formula 1 team and acts like a Formula 1 team, and there's a car – which I love; I think it looks stunning.

“Yes, we need to make it go faster, but everyone on the grid has that same feeling. But just the achievement – and it's not my achievement, it's everyone in the team who put this team together from literally something that was a blank sheet of paper and didn't even have an entry 12 months ago – feels quite real now that we're going to Melbourne.”