Building a Formula 1 team from scratch is not a project plan. It is a controlled act of madness. Ask Peter Crolla, the man who has somehow done it twice, and he will tell you the same thing with a satisfied grin.
From Haas to Cadillac: Serial Start-Up
When Cadillac needed a race team manager ahead of its 2026 debut, the search did not last long. Crolla had spent over nine years at Haas, F1’s last genuine start-up, and the itch for another blank-canvas challenge was impossible to ignore. As he told Motorsport.com at the Belgian Grand Prix, the timing was right.
“That nine-month period was probably the most enjoyable of my career, from starting with an empty building and a plan, and being given that authority to create your vision.” – Peter Crolla
Nine months. Empty building. No rule book. No template. Just Crolla, logistics manager Pete Simmons, chief mechanic Nathan Divey, and a very long to-do list covering everything from pit-stop procedures to supplier relationships.
Three Pillars, No Shortcuts
Crolla was deliberate about refusing the temptation to start small. His logic was sound: once you are actually racing, the window to build infrastructure closes fast. He framed the debut season around three pillars: respectable participation, reliability, and ultimately performance. Cadillac ticked the first box. The second is still very much a work in progress, as Austria underlined with painful clarity.
“It was never a case of starting small and then growing. There isn’t time for that because once you’re out racing, the time you’ve got to spend on your projects is greatly decreased.” – Peter Crolla
Recruiting Into the Unknown
Persuading people to leave established outfits for an unproven operation required nerve and a compelling pitch. With notice periods stretching to six months in some cases, Crolla had to be aggressive. The honest sell was refreshingly free of spin: this would not feel anything like Mercedes or Ferrari, and anyone expecting otherwise was in for a rude awakening.
“This is not going to be a nine-to-five cruise. It’s digging deep and being in it for the long run.” – Peter Crolla
That kind of candour actually works as a recruitment tool for the right people, and the volume and quality of applicants from established teams suggests Cadillac found plenty of them. With the broader 2026 grid still finding its feet technically, Cadillac is hardly alone in battling gremlins.
Only Just Getting Started
With Marcin Budkowski now installed as team principal following Graeme Lowdon’s departure, and a new US headquarters in Fishers, Indiana, set to open next year alongside an expanded Silverstone base, the construction phase is far from finished. Crolla is under no illusions about what remains ahead, and that measured realism is precisely why Cadillac survived year one without completely unravelling. Whether it translates into actual points is the next question entirely.
