Cadillac makes three major tech hires including former Red Bull design chief

The Cadillac F1 Team has snapped up engineering trio Craig Skinner, Eric Blandin and Tim Lean as it aims to accelerate its development.

Former Red Bull chief designer Skinner, the architect of Red Bull's championship winning RB19, joins as Cadillac's chief development engineer. Autosport understands Skinner was close to a move to Alpine, but is instead taking up the US-owned team's offer.

Former Aston Martin deputy tech chief Eric Blandin becomes the team's head of aerodynamics. Experienced aerodynamicist Tim Lean joins as Chief Engineer - Aerodynamics Modelling and Simulation, following stints at McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari, reporting to Blandin.

Cadillac made its debut this season as an 11th expansion team, set up by former Manor man Graeme Lowdon with veteran grand prix winners Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas as its drivers.

The team made a respectable debut with its MAC-26 car powered by Ferrari engines, but with management keen to step up its development pace Cadillac CEO Dan Towriss moved to replace Lowdon during the summer break with former Alpine executive Marcin Budkowski.

Having been mired in various operational and build quality issues, Budkowski first job is to further strengthen the team's procedures and tap into co-owner General motors' existing resources.

Craig Skinner, former Red Bull Racing Chief Designer

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Meanwhile, the US-owned squad has now also moved to shore up its technical leadership group with three big-name signings as the team prepares its 2027 sophomore campaign.

Given the long lead time and gardening leave periods involved, Cadillac announced the three would "all join the team in the next few months."

“These appointments represent a vital step in the technical evolution of the team,” said Marcin Budkowski, Team Principal, Cadillac Formula 1 Team. “Bringing together experienced leadership across development, aerodynamics and modelling will help us create a stronger integrated technical organization and improve performance on track. Craig, Eric and Tim bring race and championship-winning experience to Cadillac F1 in areas that are central to our long-term development.”

Cadillac recently set up shop in a brand-new UK headquarters in Silverstone, while working on a new state-of-the-art base in Fishers, Indiana.

The signing of Skinner, Blandin and Lean appears to be a clear sign the Cadillac team is full steam ahead despite lingering doubts of part of its ownership group amid a wider investigation into Mark Walter, owner of the TWG Global group which is the team's majority owner.