Guenther Steiner Recommends Perez and Bottas for Cadillac’s 2026 F1 Debut
As the countdown to Cadillac’s highly anticipated Formula 1 debut in 2026 continues, former Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner has weighed in on the American brand’s crucial question: who should lead their driver lineup? For Steiner, the answer is clear—go with experience, and specifically, sign Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas.
Cadillac will enter the F1 grid as the sport’s 11th team under the leadership of Graeme Lowdon, the former Manor team boss. While preparations for their inaugural season are in full swing, the driver seats remain open. However, unlike other teams scrambling to finalise contracts, Cadillac is under little pressure as it builds from scratch.
Guenther Steiner, who knows firsthand the challenges of launching a new team, having overseen Haas’s entry into F1 in 2016, stressed the value of experienced hands behind the wheel.
“If I were Cadillac, I would look to experienced drivers,” Steiner said on the F1 Explains podcast. “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 them two in.”
Both drivers bring a wealth of knowledge, stability, and racing pedigree to the table. Sergio Perez, recently released from Red Bull at the end of the 2024 season, saw his reputation improve despite a challenging final year. The underperformance of Red Bull’s replacements, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, has put Sergio Perez’s skill and consistency in a more favourable light in hindsight.
Valtteri Bottas, a former Mercedes driver, and Zhou Guanyu are also on the market after failing to secure seats following Sauber’s transitional season. Both remain active within the F1 ecosystem, with Valtteri Bottas and Zhou linking up with Mercedes and Ferrari in support roles. Meanwhile, Mick Schumacher continues to eye a return to the grid and has received vocal support from former champion Sebastian Vettel.
Guenther Steiner’s preference for veterans stems from his past experience managing both seasoned drivers and rookies. His early years at Haas featured a successful pairing of Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen—drivers with solid track records. However, financial constraints in later seasons forced him to sign rookies Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin in 2021. The results were mixed at best, leading Steiner to pivot back to experience with the hiring of Nico Hulkenberg in 2023.
With Cadillac aiming to make a strong first impression in Formula 1, Guenther Steiner’s advice could prove invaluable. A pairing like Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas would bring race-winning experience and offer crucial technical feedback and development insights as the team navigates the steep learning curve of its debut season.
While Cadillac has yet to confirm any drivers, Guenther Steiner’s recommendations reflect a broader sentiment in the paddock: when launching an F1 team, proven experience often trumps raw potential.
Brad Pitt’s High-Speed Thriller ‘F1’ Drops Teaser Trailer Ahead of Super Bowl
