Cadillac’s Formula 1 entry has landed its first big signing off the track. Tyler Epp, the executive who turned the Miami Grand Prix into one of the sport’s most successful modern events, will take up the role of Global Head of Commercial Strategy. For the new American team, it is a coup ahead of its 2026 debut.
Epp’s departure leaves a gap in Miami. The handover is already set. Katharina Nowak, just 28 years old, will step in as President of the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix. Her appointment makes her the youngest leader of an F1 race anywhere on the calendar.
Key Points
- Cadillac F1 appoints Tyler Epp as its first Global Head of Commercial Strategy
- Epp led the Miami GP through four consecutive sellouts and secured a contract extension to 2041
- Under his watch, Miami delivered four of the five biggest U.S. F1 TV audiences in history
- Event recognised as Best New Event (2022) and Promoter of the Year (2024)
- Katharina Nowak, 28, becomes the youngest F1 race president as she takes over in Miami
- John Murphy promoted to Managing Director of South Florida Motorsports
- Cadillac F1 will debut in 2026 with Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez
- Team has already run Mission Control simulations during the recent Monza Grand Prix
- Operations span Indiana, Charlotte, and Silverstone with backing from TWG Motorsports and GM (as stated in Cadillac/TWG press announcement)
Epp’s motorsport track record
Epp arrives with more than 20 years of senior management experience across U.S. sport and motorsport. He spent eight years with the Kansas City Chiefs. First as Vice President of Business Development. Later as Executive Vice President of Business Operations. He held senior roles with the San Diego Padres. He served as General Manager of Hall of Fame Racing in NASCAR. He worked at Chip Ganassi Racing and with the Sports Management Network.
That background prepared him for Miami. From the inaugural race in 2022, he helped South Florida Motorsports grow the event into a permanent fixture. Miami sold out four years in a row. It also delivered four of the five largest live U.S. TV audiences in Formula 1 history. The race secured a contract extension until 2041, the longest on the calendar.
Recognition came quickly. Sports Business Journal named Miami Best New Event in 2022. Formula 1 awarded Promoter of the Year in 2024.
Dan Towriss, CEO of Cadillac F1 and TWG Motorsports, praised the appointment. “We could not have found a better leader and visionary to build out the commercial arm of our team.” Team Principal Graeme Lowdon added: “Tyler has a proven track record of cultivating organizations that set the standard in Formula 1.”
Miami Grand Prix succession plan
Epp’s exit is a turning point for Miami. Taking over is Katharina Nowak, who was Vice President of Business Operations. At 28, she becomes the youngest President of a Formula 1 race worldwide.
Nowak has been part of the Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium setup since 2019. She has worked across events, corporate partnerships and operations. In 2024, she became VP and led Formula 1 relations and strategic planning.
Tom Garfinkel, Managing Partner of the Miami GP, said: “She is one of the most talented young executives I’ve been around.” Alongside her, John Murphy has been promoted to Managing Director of South Florida Motorsports. He will oversee the Autodrome and its Precision Drive Club.
Cadillac F1’s 2026 preparations
For Epp, the Cadillac move is the next challenge. The team is building across three sites: Fishers in Indiana, Charlotte in North Carolina, and Silverstone in the UK. Staff, facilities and partnerships are being created from the ground up.
The drivers are already confirmed. Valtteri Bottas, a 10-time Grand Prix winner, and Sergio Pérez, a six-time winner, will lead the debut campaign in 2026.
Commercial backing is also building. Cadillac recently announced a global partnership with Jim Beam, signalling intent to secure household-name sponsors ahead of launch
Cadillac also ran its Mission Control setup during the Monza Grand Prix. Virtual simulations stress tested operations in a live race setting. The exercise gave the team an early chance to refine systems.
Epp said: “I’ve spent so much of my career in racing, and the past several years helping redefine what American motorsports can be. The Cadillac Formula 1 Team is poised to become a global force in F1 that’s rooted in American tradition and ingenuity.”
Broader impact on U.S. motorsport
The Cadillac F1 project is part of a wider motorsport platform. General Motors backs the team as part of its push toward the future of mobility. TWG Motorsports, as stated in the Cadillac/TWG announcement, highlights involvement across INDYCAR, IMSA, Formula E and NASCAR. That portfolio also points to ownership stakes or partnerships in Andretti Global, Wayne Taylor Racing and Spire Motorsports.
This reach gives Cadillac a foundation few new entrants enjoy. Adding Epp’s commercial expertise only strengthens the package.
Miami evolves with new leadership. Cadillac pushes toward its debut. Both reflect the same trend. Formula 1 in the United States is no longer testing the water. It is embedding itself with leaders, contracts and infrastructure designed to last.
For Cadillac, securing Tyler Epp is more than a hire. It is a coup that sets the tone for how seriously the team intends to compete, on and off the track.
Want more Formula 1 coverage?
Dive into race reports, driver market news, and technical analysis. 👉 More Formula 1 news and race coverage
☕ Coffee Corner Motorsport. News made by a fan, for the fans. Straight from the Shed.
Share the story. Grow the community.