SILVERSTONE, England (AP) — Formula 1's newest outfit Cadillac replaced its first team principal Graeme Lowdon with former Alpine director Marcin Budkowski on Wednesday.

Cadillac said the move was part of a “planned leadership transition as the organization evolves from its initial build phase into the next stage of racing performance," though it hadn't previously signaled it intended to move on from Lowdon, who played a key role setting up the General Motors-backed team.

It comes a week before the F1 season resumes with the Dutch Grand Prix after the mid-season break.

Cadillac has yet to score a point in F1, with a best finish of 13th, and had been expected to struggle as a new team. The cars' brakes have repeatedly overheated in recent races, forcing retirements.

“We’re grateful to Graeme Lowdon for his leadership and the role he played in forming the Cadillac Formula 1 Team from the ground up,” chief executive Dan Towriss said. “His contributions helped establish a strong foundation in our build-up phase, and we thank him for his commitment and wish him well.”

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing