Steiner reveals ‘ideal’ driver line-up for Cadillac F1 team

As Cadillac gears up for its Formula 1 debut in 2026, former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has shared a bold vision for the American team’s driver line-up, advocating for a seasoned duo to spearhead the new outfit.

Speaking on F1 Explains, Steiner named Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez as his ideal pairing, emphasizing the value of experience for a fledgling team.

The Italian, who oversaw Haas F1’s entry into the sport in 2016 and managed their driver selections for nearly a decade, also stated the F1’s eleventh team should avoid the temptation of gambling on rookies.

Steiner’s rationale prioritizes drivers who know the ropes and who can accelerate Cadillac’s development.

“If I were Cadillac, I would look to experienced drivers, the same reason I said before,” he said.

“In a young team, the best is to get experience in people who have done it, who help the team to get going, who help the team to make progress quicker than the rookies.

“For me, the ideal team would be Bottas and Sergio Perez. I would bring the two in.”

Experience Over Experimentation

Steiner’s advice comes from a place of deep understanding. During his time at Haas, he worked with experienced heads like Kevin Magnussen, Romain Grosjean, and Nico Hülkenberg – drivers who could deliver valuable feedback and composure during the rocky early days of a new team’s F1 journey.

With Cadillac entering the grid under the backing of General Motors, expectations will be high from day one.

And with Graeme Lowdon at the helm as team principal and F1 legend Mario Andretti on the board, the American team is likely to face intense scrutiny – particularly when it comes to its driver choices.

Andretti recently confirmed that Perez is definitely a driver of interest for Cadillac.

“All I can tell you is that he’s [Perez] certainly one of the drivers that’s being considered, he has to be,” the 85-year-old told Fox Sports.

“I cannot divulge as to where we are with any commitment whatsoever – I think we want to keep that luxury to ourselves until we feel that we have scanned the entire spectrum of availability. I think that’s a prudent thing to do.

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“The choice is somewhat limited – let’s face it, a lot of the great talents are already under contract. Fortunately still there are a few out there – three or four; I’ll say maybe three – that certainly deserve consideration, and all of this is being looked upon very seriously.

“There are some conversations going on somewhere and in some other places. That’s as much as I can tell you to be fair to everyone.”

Balancing Merit and American Talent

Additional names in contention, according to the rumour mill, include IndyCar stars Colton Herta and Alex Palou, former F1 driver Mick Schumacher, and Ferrari reserve Zhou Guanyu.

Each brings a unique blend of experience and potential to the General Motors-backed outfit led by team principal Graeme Lowdon.

Addressing the possibility of signing an American driver, Andretti emphasized a pragmatic approach.

“Especially when you’re starting out, you have to try to consider the team itself – to go on merit,” he said.

“If we feel that right at the moment we might wait a season or so before we bring in an American, so be it.

“As I said, the optimum idea would be if we could definitely say, ‘Yes, we have the American already’. At one point maybe we might have thought so, but we want to keep that option open.

“I think it’s really important to try to arm the team in the best way possible, especially going in.”

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