Guenther Steiner names dream line-up for Cadillac F1

Former Haas F1 team boss Guenther Steiner has backed Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez as the ideal driver pairing for the new Cadillac F1 team, emphasizing the need for experience in a nascent outfit.

Steiner's Vision for Cadillac

Speaking on "F1 Explains," Steiner advocated for experienced drivers over rookies to accelerate the team's development. "If I were Cadillac, I would look to experienced drivers," he stated. "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."

Steiner, who managed Haas from its 2016 debut, has a track record with experienced drivers like Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg.

Perez's Potential Comeback

Sergio Perez, who parted ways with Red Bull after a challenging 2024 season, could find a new opportunity with Cadillac, according to Steiner. "Maybe put him on a one-year contract. It's a lot better than having old rookies in there. That's an opportunity for Checo," Steiner told GPBlog. He believes a less pressured environment could help Perez recover from his recent struggles. "And by then, a year of digesting the beating from Max [Verstappen], he recovers from the Dutch beating, so it could bring him to a better place again. I would say he could have value for Cadillac."

Bottas's Experienced Role

Valtteri Bottas, who lost his seat at Sauber at the end of the 2024 season and is now Mercedes' reserve driver, also brings significant F1 experience. His time as a wingman for Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes and his leadership at Alfa Romeo (now Sauber) make him a valuable prospect.

Cadillac's F1 Entry

Cadillac is set to become the 11th team on the Formula 1 grid in 2026, having received official approval for its entry in March of this year.

Andretti's Strategy

Mario Andretti, a board member for the team, outlined a different initial strategy. "From our standpoint, I think the play at the beginning would be to have one experienced driver – nationality doesn’t matter – and then a young American talent. These are the objectives at the moment." American IndyCar driver Colton Herta is reportedly a candidate for the latter role.