Former Haas team boss Günther Steiner has a clear idea of which drivers he would sign if he were in charge at Cadillac. The American automotive giant is set to debut as the eleventh team on the Formula 1 grid in 2026, but has yet to secure any drivers. Several big names have already been linked to Cadillac, including a number of well-known Formula 1 winners. Steiner advises choosing these experienced drivers.
From 2026, Cadillac will be the eleventh Formula 1 team on the grid. Team boss Graeme Lowdon, known from his time at Manor Racing, has not yet appointed any drivers. As the established teams have largely secured their drivers, there is little reason for the Americans to rush – after all, there is hardly any competition. Moreover, there is a large group of former Formula 1 drivers who have only recently retired from the premier class. So, there is no shortage of experience.
In recent weeks, Sergio Pérez, Valtteri Bottas, Guanyu Zhou, and Mick Schumacher have been mentioned as options. Two of them have already won Grands Prix. In addition, Bottas and Zhou are still active within Mercedes and Ferrari respectively. Equally important, drivers like Pérez and Zhou – who have a large fan base in their home countries – bring valuable sponsorship deals with them. So, there are plenty of choices. Former team boss Günther Steiner lends a hand to Cadillac and points out his favorites.
Experts by Experience
Steiner served as the team boss of Haas until the end of 2023. His line-up was typically determined by experience, aside from the experiment with Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin in 2021. However, the choice for two rookies was also due to a lack of financial resources. Later, he once again opted for established names like Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg. “If I were Cadillac, I would look at experienced drivers,” Steiner said in an interview with F1 Explains.
“In a young team, it’s wise to bet on experts by experience – people who can get the team up to speed faster than rookies, for example,” he explained. “The ideal line-up for me is Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez. I would bring those two in.” The question is whether Cadillac can meet Steiner’s wishes. Top advisor Mario Andretti has already pledged that the team is looking for a proven driver, although Cadillac would also like to sign an American.
