Episode 227: Cadillac F1 Team CEO Dan Towriss
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Brand
Cadillac
Cadillac is a well-known American car brand that makes luxury vehicles. It has a long history and is famous for its stylish designs and advanced technology.
Concept
Formula One
Formula One is a top-level car racing series where the fastest cars compete on special tracks. It's known for its exciting races and cutting-edge technology in the cars.
Car
Ford Taurus
The Ford Taurus is a type of car that many families used to drive, especially in the 1990s. It was known for being spacious and comfortable, making it a popular choice for people looking for a reliable vehicle.
Concept
aero
Aero is about how air moves around cars when they drive. Good aerodynamics helps cars go faster and stay stable by reducing wind resistance.
Term
six cylinders
A six-cylinder engine is a type of engine that has six small chambers where fuel burns to make the car go. It's known for being powerful while still being relatively efficient.
Term
chassis
The chassis is the main structure of a car that holds everything together. It’s important for how the car handles and performs on the track.
Term
tires
Tires are the rubber parts of a car that touch the road. In racing, they are very important for how well the car can grip the track and go fast.
Term
power unit
A power unit in racing is the engine and all the parts that help it run. It’s important for how fast the car can go and how well it performs.
Concept
NASCAR
NASCAR is a type of car racing that uses specially designed cars that look like regular cars. The races usually happen on oval tracks and are very popular in the U.S.
Concept
IndyCar
IndyCar is a type of car racing that takes place on different types of tracks, including ovals. It's famous for its fast cars and the big race called the Indianapolis 500.
Concept
Formula E
Formula E is a type of racing that features electric cars. The races take place in city streets and focus on being environmentally friendly.
Concept
24 hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a famous car race that lasts for a whole day. Teams try to drive as far as they can in 24 hours, making it a test of speed and endurance.
Concept
Proving Grounds
Proving Grounds are places where car companies test their vehicles to make sure they work well and are safe before selling them. It's like a big testing area for cars.
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The automobile is one of the most important inventions that revolutionized the modern world.
In America, the rich history of car culture runs deep, as technology continues to shape the future of the industry.
Jason Stein is here to share the stories of people passionate about cars, from industry leaders and innovators to car-obsessed celebrities.
Buckle up as Jason takes you inside the boardroom, onto the track, and around the bend, on Cars and Culture on SiriusXM Business Radio.
Welcome into episode 227 of Cars and Culture with Jason Stein here on SiriusXM Business Channel 132.
It's great to have you along for the ride again this week.
In today's episode, an American name with a century of heritage takes aim at the pinnacle of global racing.
Cadillac, a symbol of craftsmanship, ambition and design, is ready to make its mark in Formula One.
But behind every great comeback, there is a visionary leader.
Dan Taurus, CEO of the Cadillac Formula One team, is the driving force behind one of the most ambitious projects in modern motorsport.
A partnership that seeks to bring an American manufacturer back to the F1 grid for the first time in decades.
It's a story that bridges continents and challenges conventions.
At its core, how a uniquely American brand can compete, innovate and win on the world's biggest stage.
For Taurus, it's not just about speed, it's about purpose.
It's about the culture of excellence, the business of performance and the belief that Formula One's next great story might just start in Detroit, or in Charlotte, or in Indianapolis.
In this episode recorded in New York, we explore how this bold partnership came to be.
The vision, the hurdles, the strategy and why Cadillac's global ambitions could change the trajectory of the sport.
From technology transfer to brand transformation, from engineering to emotion, this is a story of reinvention, risk and relentless drive.
This is Cars and Culture with Jason Stein.
This is Dan Taurus, CEO of TWG Motorsports. This is Cars and Culture with Jason Stein.
It's a pleasure to be with you and to really to be in a unique situation, which is you're at the cusp of an incredible journey.
And I know it probably feels like I've seen you say that either it's the plane or the boat that's being built while it's...
Sailing your ship while you're sailing?
While you're sailing it, yeah. How's it going? And first of all, thank you for being on the program.
Yeah, thanks for having me. It's going great. I mean, I think there's an immense number of work streams that are, you know, taking place, you know, kind of as we speak.
But it's going great. And everything's working towards, you know, a shakedown, you know, in early January, mid-January of next year, and, you know, on to, you know, testing and racing in Formula One.
That's got an enormity to it that I can't even describe. How do you roadmap something that has such complexity,
which is the hiring of so many people. And I saw that you did a call out for, you know, there were open positions, right, because you've got to build all of it.
Plus, you're doing engineering at the same time. Plus, you're doing aero. You've got vehicles, you know, cars are in the wind tunnel in Cologne.
You've got engineering operations in England. You're doing stuff in Charlotte. What's the complexity of all that?
Yeah, it really is, you know, quite complex. And, you know, there's probably a half a billion dollar real estate project, you know, spread across the three locations, you know, at the same time.
But really, it's just, you know, it's having, you know, good people breaking it down and, you know, the progress on aero and, you know, weight and all the things for the development of the 26 cars going great.
We'll be getting the Ferrari, you know, probably in early December, you know, be firing up, you know, the engine, looking at things there.
Even all the logistics getting, you know, getting all the shipping containers ready to start going out,
the things that are going to show up in Melbourne, you know, it's pit equipment, pit garage, paddock club designs.
Team uniforms.
Yeah, and then we're building a commercial function that's essentially, you know, the equivalent of a media company, you know, inside of Formula One operation.
And then that's the team, you know, vertical. We've got the whole power unit vertical headed up by Russell Blienus.
That's what's being built in Charlotte. We've got a topping off ceremony for the facility that's being built in Charlotte.
That's next week. You know, Russ is doing a massive amount of hiring as we're, we already have three, six cylinders, you know, underway in operation at the moment in preparation for 2029.
And, you know, there's just a lot of things happening and, you know, excited with the progress.
What does it mean to you personally to lead Cadillac into what is arguably the most competitive racing series in the world?
I mean, it's a huge opportunity. I think, you know, it was so long in the making, you know, from that standpoint, I think opportunity is the right one.
You know, I think we were battle tested, you know, along the way, but I think in every step it's made us better and more prepared.
And for what's going to be an incredibly difficult year next year, we know there are going to be highs and lows and, you know, there will be days where you exceed expectations and there will be some other days where it feels like carnage, you know, on track.
But, you know, having that foundation and that persistency to, you know, to get to this point is great. And I couldn't be, you know, more pleased and have the opportunity to work alongside, you know, alongside GM as we try to build this team.
And that's the important part of this. I mean, you're not doing this by yourself. There's an entire apparatus that's already built. We've had Mark Royce on the program before, and I know that the ambition has been extremely high.
And the interest level marks, obviously, huge racer anyway. But you can lean on that part of it, too, can't you?
Yeah.
Yeah, the GM side of it.
No, absolutely. And from top to bottom, I mean, you know, just spoke with Mark and Mary this week and, you know, we collaborate on commercial opportunities.
There's all the engineering service, you know, elements that were, you know, seconded employees from General Motors. It's a very integrated, you know, operation, and it has been from day one.
I mean, even going back to putting together the expression of interest packet for the FIA, you know, I was just telling someone earlier today, there's a Saturday morning, we're all sitting around, and it's Rory Harvey,
you know, Eric Warren, Jim Campbell, you know, Graham, Nick Chester from the team, myself and a few others, and we've got this super important document. And once we hit send, you know, that's it.
Yeah.
And the collaboration in that group of how everybody was working together, there were no egos at that moment. There was no, this is what GM needs. Well, this is what, you know, the team wants and things like that.
It was just everybody working towards this common goal. And I thought, you know, it's this collaboration, which is really kind of the secret of this team, and why I think it's ultimately going to be successful.
For you personally getting involved, what kind of decision making process needs to go on there? I mean, you had a moment in time where you had to say, OK, I'm doing this, I'm going to take this on. Walk me through a little bit of that.
I mean, it was quite an evolution, to be honest. I mean, if we, you know, kind of the quick high levels, you know, we initially were just going to support Michael Andretti for 10% ownership stake in what he was looking to buy an existing team.
And, you know, suddenly all of the funders, the people, the investment syndicate that had been assembled, they weren't real. And so, talk with Mark Walter, I was like, hey, none of those guys are real, I can get this whole thing if you want it.
And he's like, go get it. And, you know, so that started us down a path of really learning about Formula One, you know, that ultimately that deal, Finn Rousin wasn't ready to sell the team at that time, which is fine.
And put us on this path of a new team. That's really what ignited, you know, the interest. And I think at that stage, you know, it wasn't the plan that I was going to take the reins and run this thing. But that's where we are. And that's how we got here. And let's go.
Wow, amazing. And what did you learn about Formula One during that process? I mean, I can imagine that they love to say no. Yeses are very hard to obtain, even for the most simple, simple thing. But no, I think this, you know, one of these cars are technological wonders. I think the commercial, you know, the power of Formula One and, you know, from a from a commercial standpoint, I think just,
you know, the complexity of the sport, all the pieces, you know, that go into play in that. And it's been, it's been an incredible journey and just, you know, excited to finally be on track here from 2026.
From a business standpoint, what are some core objectives, maybe behind the program that you want to check off?
Yeah, I think we really want to establish ourselves as a different, you know, as a different team. We want to create, we want to be created an additional increase transparency with the fans. And we'll let them see because here's your watching a team that's being built from scratch. And they're going to be, again, they're going to be triumphs. They're going to be mistakes and things that happen. They're going to be good days, bad days.
We want people to see what that journey looks like, you know, as you're on this road, you know, to build something special.
I mean, for America, it couldn't come at a better time. I mean, we've had multiple people on the program, from Stefano Domenicali to Sean Braches talking about the importance of Netflix and the aura, the energy that's around Formula One in the United States.
You and I talked about that, that U.S. Grand Prix from 2000, and it had a lot more international fans than it did American fans. But now you're at a point where you have American fans and an American entry. I mean, the nexus of that is perfect, isn't it?
Yeah, I think you could add the movie to that as well.
Right, of course.
Netflix had this ability to create a new kind of motorsport fan who were intrigued by the entertainment value as much as the pure motorsport piece of it. I think the movie's done the same thing, you know, running into somebody who's like, I'm a huge Formula One fan.
You're like, well, what team do you support? They're like, well, I saw the movie.
Right.
This is still potential for people that want to convert to Cadillac Formula One fans.
And, you know, they, Formula One's saying there's 54 million people in the U.S. that identify as a Formula One fan. We know they're not watching races yet.
But I think we see that as a real target to build, you know, a fan base around that and to create an awareness about Cadillac Formula One, the American team, Formula One itself, through kind of non, you know, motorsport channels,
like this kind of mainstream sports fans who maybe don't hear a lot about motorsports, you know, we're here.
We want you to hear about Cadillac, what's going on, what's going on in the sport, and not just pay attention when the three races, you know, swing through the U.S.
Well, and they're also demographic. It's incredibly younger than one would expect historically that F1 has had.
One of the latest surveys out, you know, talked about that generation that's kind of, even just in the early 20s, you got a chance to capture them throughout an entire lifetime here.
Yeah. So I think that's a demographic that brands are very interested in. It also has, I think with that demographic, you have the power to kind of shape how brands are viewed,
especially if one is viewed as, you know, kind of like your dad's brand or something like that.
And so having that ability to bring in this younger demographic and, you know, like, I think a lot of people would agree with this.
You know, Formula One has the ability to make a brain cool, you know, and so I think really kind of leaning into that,
leaning into the entertainment space or aspect of, you know, motorsport and really finding out what it truly means to be kind of American in this European sport.
How do you define success when we sit here a year from now? What does success look like?
Success comes in a few different ways. I think it's just going to be the quality of the operation we're building.
It's going to be building our fan base from that standpoint. It'll be their targets on commercial success.
You know, getting, you know, even getting, you know, all the real estate projects, you know, getting that, you know, to a place.
And then obviously what we're, you know, first and foremost, what we're able to do on track.
I think success would be, you know, the absolute performance that we achieve.
We want to beat, you know, we want to beat teams this year.
So like, we can get to even, you know, like an eighth place, you know, from a constructor point of view.
You know, that's super interesting to me, but also it's the trajectory.
So it's not just where do we start in the first few races?
Because kind of nobody knows. There's a toss up with the tires, you know, new tires, new chassis, new power unit.
But what's the trajectory of improvement? What's our ability to get updates to the track so that we're in this, like, continue improvement?
Do we have the right strategies in place? Because it's not, it's not a point in time.
You know, in Formula One, you have to constantly be evolving.
So foundation, the foundation of the team is as important to me as the absolute performance in year one.
You're building a foundation with two incredible drivers who have a long history of success.
Valtteri and Checo, I read a little bit about the process of bringing Checo in and he just killed it in the interview, right?
In, you know, the sit down. There were no cameras, there was no press. It was a one-on-one and you really identified that this was a driver for you.
What stood out the most for you?
Well, you know, as we were going through the process and I think at the beginning while we thought maybe a lot of fans speculated that we would end up with Valtteri and Checo.
We really didn't start that. We focused on the process, not the outcome, you know, from that standpoint and experience was a key.
But I think, man, when Checo, when we talked to him, he made that what might sound cliche of, you know, you need experience in the first year kind of thing to make that real.
And you're like, oh wait, like just the feedback that he's able to provide on the Sim, the feedback he's able to provide on the car, being able to build a team, knowing what to expect.
So the fewer things that we're doing for the first time, you know, come Melbourne, you know, the better off we're going to be.
And I think, and just like his overall, just, you know, like his demeanor and his approach, you know, coming out of that interview, I looked at Graham and I'm just like, you know, he did kill it.
And, you know, he's the right one to help us, you know, help lead this team.
What did you learn in that experience that maybe you didn't know going into it after sitting with him?
I think it just, he had a way of, like, as he was answering questions, it made it more important.
Like, even if you're like, of course, you need experience, but then they're like, oh, I don't know, this young guy's pretty good.
You know, he's pretty fast. Should we be, you know, should we be thinking about somebody who's going to, you know, put the car on limits.
But then when you see this, you've got this, you know, this safe pair of hands, knowing what to expect.
Yeah.
The questions he was asking, the information he has from being in the sport for all these years that's helpful to our engineers, you know,
as we're thinking about the car and the performance and getting feedback on, does it feel the way it's supposed to?
You know, and I think he just made, you know, the experience, you know, more valuable than what we even thought it was prior to that meeting.
Yeah, and Beltry, I mean, obviously his own experience goes without saying, but I mean, he brings that same level of confidence,
the same skill level, enough podiums, enough drives. How does he complement Checo in all that?
Yeah, well, I think there, again, you also have a proven winner.
Yeah.
You have that same experience factor. But also, you know, being a reserve driver from Mercedes, he's done, you know,
like Checo hasn't been driving the car for the last, you know, 10 months and Beltry has.
So I think he's, you know, there's a relevancy to his experience.
And then I think also with him, you know, Beltry's known to turn a quick lap. He's a great qualifier.
And so I think he also has that ability to show us what the ultimate speed of the one lap speed is of the car.
You know, and I think in that way they do complement each other a little bit.
The DNA that you're building here, how are you shaping the team's internal culture to reflect Cadillacs DNA?
Or maybe what Cadillac wants to be as a race team in this circuit? Obviously it has a long racing history in other circuits.
So we have a lot of experienced former one people coming into the team and they bring, you know, they're at Mercedes.
You know, they were at Red Bull, they're at Asimart and a lot of people, I think, think that they're team players.
But as you see these cultures come together, we're really trying to instill what it really means to be one team, you know,
and have this collaborative group that align behind, you know, a singular objective, you know, of performance on track
and not letting the, you know, there's a lot of politics in Formula One and that causes people to get elbows out.
That causes people to withhold information. There's all these little things that may not seem like a big deal,
but, you know, from a corporate perspective, you know how detrimental, how disorganizing that can be to an organization.
And so weeding that out and setting clear expectations that that's not the case.
And then really driving recognition, it takes a thousand people, you know, to put, you know, to drive a Formula One team
and we think about the single driver or the pair of drivers that are doing that
or you think about the team principle, you know, in that case, it's like how do we push that recognition down
so that people know that, hey, what you did today made that car faster.
You're a part of this team's success and getting away from some of these, you know, what's a little bit more toxic cultures
that you hear about, you know, at some of the teams.
And I think we want this to be the absolute best job in Formula One.
Your lessons, you're bringing to the table from your business and motorsport experiences.
How will that help you in this new challenge?
What will you bring to it from, I mean, we know what the others are coming, you know, with Mercedes and Ferrari experience
and Aston Martin, but what are you bringing to it?
Yeah, so I think from my standpoint, it's going to be a strategy and then also the, you know, the commercial piece of it.
I think from a strategy standpoint, if you think right now, you know, we talked about building a ship
and see there's all these things happening and so everybody's working at this frenetic pace to get this and that done
and it's very easy to get lost in the details of just doing the next thing without taking a step back and go,
are we going in the right direction?
Is this the right strategy for the team?
You know, are we building the best processes?
Are these the best people, you know, as we're trying to build what is a world-class team?
We're just trying to build a team, trying to build a world-class team or be on a pathway to becoming a world-class team
and that takes strategic thinking, strategic moves and so I think making sure this organization doesn't get lost
in the weeds and the details of all the massive number of things that need to happen,
you know, I think that's a big part in terms of, you know, keeping us in the right direction.
You didn't just bring in two hires or two key hires and drivers, you have a key hire in Tyler Rep
who you brought in from Miami, we've had him on the program before,
obviously has done a phenomenal job with that race and turned it around and turned into an epic success.
What does Tyler bring to the operation as now the head of your commercial operations?
You know, deep motorsport experience, not just in Formula One but across a lot of different series
and really sports as well, you know, from that standpoint, you know, the great commercial background
and then deep Formula One experience of what he was able to build in Miami,
what he's been able to learn being in the sport, you know, for the last, you know, five years or so.
And so I think coming in as our global head of strategy, this lets us align like things like partnerships,
you know, licensing, marketing communications.
We want all of that aligned behind these singular objectives of what we're trying to do
so that the way we talk about the team, the way we are building the team
and the way we're selling it to partnerships, it's authentic.
It's not different messages for different people.
These aren't siloed things but they're all built around our strategy of American originals being bold, being innovative
and then really driving that entertainment value that Cadillac Formula One has the potential to bring
not only in the US but on the global stage.
Four and a half years ago, we started this program Cars and Culture.
Our first guest was Zach Brown.
We had Zach on two weeks ago, four and a half years later.
We talked about the difference, what can occur over the span of, you know, 48, 50 months.
When we talked to him the first time, they were the bottom of the grid.
They had, they were languishing but they had a couple of star drivers potentially
and they knew that they had a focus and a direction where they could lead it.
Week after we talked to them, they clinched the second constructor's championship in a row.
There's hope, isn't there?
When you build things from the bottom up and Zach as an American is another testament to that.
What can you learn from guys like Zach?
Yeah, I think what he's built in that period of time has been amazing.
Obviously, his background from the sales and commercial side, he's built quite a machine from that standpoint.
I also think we're going to be different, you know, in a lot of ways as well.
But I think what it shows is that bringing your, you know, kind of authentic approach, you know,
to Formula One and not just trying to fit in and be like all the other teams, you know,
that they're, it's a real chance to, you know, build a winner, stand out and do something different.
How will it change you, do you think?
How many races are you going to go to? 14?
Yeah, I think probably 14, maybe 15 next year.
And then from a TWG Motorsports standpoint.
You do other things.
Yeah, we're in IndyCar, NASCAR, Formula E, sports cars.
We'll race in the 24 hours of the month next year with Cadillac Racing.
And so if it's a weekend, I'll be at a racetrack somewhere undoubtedly.
But it's, yeah, it's going to be exciting.
And so I think it's just, you know, there's a lot of passion, you know, behind this team
and really in all the motorsports things that we're doing.
And so it's just going to be, you know, long days of just, you know,
up grinding it out and looking to build winners.
We're going to talk again before the season starts because I want to know, you know,
how you're ready and, you know, when you are ready and see how things have changed.
But let me ask you a final thing.
Four and a half years from now, what do you hope people will say about Cadillac's first chapter
in Formula One under your leadership?
You know, I want to, I'd like to change the sport.
I think everything that we've gone into or things that I've gone into,
whether it's from even in the financial services, businesses or whether we were,
even if we're a sponsor in a sport, I want to, you know,
want to have an impact on the place we're at and make it better.
And I think Cadillac, you know, growing the sport, you know, in the U.S.,
even changing the way Formula One looks at itself, disrupting it in a,
you know, in a positive way, in addition to all of our individual goals,
that's what I would look back and say, like, hey, we did it.
We, you know, we tried to check every box.
We built the winner.
We, you know, we created that entertainment value.
We showed, we've shown people what this kind of Americanized approach,
you know, how it can be successful and, you know,
and how we can help champion and lead the growth of motorsports,
the growth of Formula One in the U.S.
And maybe transfer of technology, too, which I'm sure is,
we didn't talk about it, but I know it's vital inside Cadillac as well.
We've seen it in other brands who have benefited from it.
I'm guessing that's when Mary and Mark get together with you and they say,
okay, well, what can we learn from your experience here?
You know, one, it's an exciting time.
I think the new product lineup, it was after one of the,
in our first board meetings, we were at the Proving Grounds
and we showed up and the entire Cadillac lineup was there
and we're just in them and like the innovation, you know,
the materials, the, you know, the performance of those cars is,
you know, it's fantastic.
And so it's kind of at this, that's another element of kind of the right time,
right place, right time for us, for Cadillac, for Cadillac Formula One.
And I think that's just going to continue to evolve, you know,
as we see that technology going into cars and they want to be, you know,
General Motors Cadillac want to be a leader, you know,
in from that standpoint.
And so I think we're perfectly aligned for where that journey takes us.
I wish you the best of luck.
I know the clock is running quickly.
It probably can't, it can't run slow enough for you at this time.
But thank you for doing this.
Good luck in your journey.
We'll catch up again later as you get a little closer.
I really appreciate it, Dan. Thank you.
Sounds good. Thank you.
Thank you. Thanks.
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This is where the road always leads to the people who shape the ride.
That's episode 227.
I'm your host, Jason Stein. We'll see you down the road.
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About this episode
Cadillac is making a bold return to Formula One, led by CEO Dan Towriss, who shares insights into the ambitious project aimed at revitalizing American presence in the sport. The episode delves into the complexities of building a new team, including hiring, engineering, and logistics across multiple locations. Towriss discusses the importance of collaboration within General Motors and the strategic vision for Cadillac's F1 team, emphasizing the goal of creating a unique American identity in a traditionally European sport. The conversation also touches on the significance of engaging a younger fan base and the potential for technology transfer between motorsport and Cadillac's automotive innovations.
Original notes
Cadillac F1 Team CEO Dan Towriss
Cars & Culture with Jason Stein
SiriusXM
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26:30