Cadillac F1: NASA inspiration for its Formula 1 debut in 2026

Cadillac F1: Inspiration from the Apollo Mission for its Debut

The new Cadillac Formula 1 team, which will join the grid in 2026 as the eleventh team, has drawn inspiration from NASA’s Apollo missions to meet the deadlines set before its debut. With only 250 days to prepare for its first official practice session at the Australian Grand Prix, the team faces a race against time to design and manufacture its cars. After receiving confirmation of its place in F1 115 days ago, Cadillac has built a test chassis that has passed unofficial crash tests in the UK, including a 50-ton frontal impact test. In addition, a 60 percent scale model is being tested in Toyota’s wind tunnel in Cologne. During a visit to the Cadillac base in Silverstone, team principal Graeme Lowdon revealed that the team has hired about 400 of the 600 planned employees for its F1 debut. To get two cars ready in such a short time, Cadillac has adopted a management structure based on Apollo Mission Control, minimizing the hierarchy within its workforce.

“It’s heavily based on the Apollo project. It’s very similar. We’re not putting a man on the moon, but sometimes it feels like that.”

Graeme Lowdon

This structure allows for direct interaction between engineers, both in Silverstone and in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Warren, Michigan. Lowdon believes that this structure offers significant advantages over the traditional military hierarchy often seen in racing teams.

Cadillac plans to increase its staff in the United States with the opening of its new factory in Fishers, Indiana, next year. Lowdon is confident that his team will be able to attract high-level engineers in both the United States and Europe, thanks to GM’s support and the unique opportunity to be a newly created F1 team. Lowdon emphasizes the importance of a flat structure and the responsibility given to the engineers. Highlighting that all team members will be able to say “I did that” when the car runs for the first time, as there is no legacy or inherited elements.