Marcin Budkowski

Marcin Budkowski is a Polish Formula One engineer, senior motorsport executive and keynote speaker, best known for serving as Executive Director and Team Principal of the Alpine Formula One Team. He is a speaker who brings rare, first-hand insight from the pinnacle of global motorsport, where success is measured in milliseconds and leadership is tested every weekend. His biggest achievement is leading Alpine to its first Grand Prix victory under its new identity, while shaping the technical and cultural direction of a modern Formula One team.

Marcin’s path into Formula One was built on academic excellence and technical precision. He graduated from École Polytechnique in 1999, before completing advanced studies in aeronautics and aerodynamics at ISAE SUPAERO and Imperial College London. In 2001, he began his career as an aerodynamicist with Prost Grand Prix, gaining practical experience in a highly competitive environment. A move to Ferrari followed in 2002, where he contributed to multiple championship-winning campaigns during one of the sport’s most dominant eras. Working within a culture of relentless performance in Maranello, Marcin developed both technical expertise and a deep understanding of how elite teams align around clear objectives and uncompromising standards.

In 2007, Marcin joined McLaren and took on a series of increasingly senior roles, working both at the factory and trackside during a Drivers’ World Championship-winning season. By 2012, he had risen to Head of Aerodynamics at McLaren, leading a department of more than 100 specialists and driving performance at the front of the grid. In 2014, he moved to the FIA, eventually becoming Head of the Formula One Technical Department in 2017, where he played a central role in shaping regulations and introducing the Halo safety device in 2018, a defining moment for driver protection. Returning to team leadership, he became Executive Director of Renault Sport Racing, overseeing 750 staff across engineering, production and race operations. In 2021, he was appointed Executive Director and Team Principal of the Alpine F1 Team, guiding the organisation through transformation and securing a landmark Grand Prix victory.

Today, Marcin shares practical lessons drawn from leading large, high-performance teams in one of the world’s most demanding industries. He speaks on leadership, team culture, innovation, safety and decision-making under pressure, translating Formula One experience into clear, relevant strategies for business audiences. Event organisers value his calm authority, strategic perspective and ability to connect complex engineering challenges with everyday leadership realities, making him a compelling and credible keynote speaker for companies seeking sustained competitive advantage.