Guenther Steiner Proposes Experienced Drivers for Cadillac Formula 1 Team

Former Haas F1 team boss, Guenther Steiner, has expressed his support for two seasoned drivers as the ideal choice for the incoming Cadillac Formula 1 team. In an interview on F1 Explains, he emphasized the importance of experience over a young and inexperienced rookie.

The Advantage of Experience in a Young Team

Steiner believes that in a new team, it’s best to have individuals who possess experience, as they can help the team progress more swiftly than novices. For him, the ideal team would be Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.

Steiner managed the arrival of Haas F1 team to the grid in 2016 and oversaw their driver selection until his exit ahead of the 2025 season. During his tenure, he worked with several experienced and talented drivers such as Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg.

Sergio Perez’s Potential at Cadillac

Despite being dropped by Red Bull after a lackluster 2024 campaign, Perez has shown his worth in the past. He played a crucial role in his team-mate’s first championship win in 2021 and contributed to Red Bull’s first 1-2 finish in the drivers’ standings in 2023.

Steiner believes that Perez, given a less pressured environment, could flourish. He suggested putting him on a one-year contract, which he believes would be beneficial for both parties.

Valtteri Bottas’s Experience and Potential

Similarly, Bottas lost his seat at Sauber at the end of the 2024 season but has strong experience as a teammate to Lewis Hamilton before leading the Hinwil team alongside Zhou Guanyu.

Cadillac’s F1 Entry and Future Plans

After being approved for its F1 entry in March of this year, Cadillac will join the grid as the 11th team in 2026. The substantial undertaking is backed by General Motors and sees Graeme Lowdon lead as team principal.

Mario Andretti, a member of the team’s board of directors, has stated that their initial strategy would be to have one experienced driver (regardless of nationality) and then a young American talent. American IndyCar driver Colton Herta is reportedly in contention for the latter role.