'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Guenther Steiner believes Mick Schumacher could be a strong contender for a seat at the Cadillac F1 team. Speaking in an interview with RTL, the former Haas team principal said that Schumacher’s prior Formula 1 experience could prove valuable for a new team like Cadillac.
With Cadillac set to join the grid as the 11th team in 2026, two seats are up for grabs. Several names have emerged as potential candidates, including Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez. Schumacher’s name has also entered the conversation, especially after he was spotted in the paddock during the Austrian and British Grand Prix weekends.
Since he departed from Formula 1 at the end of the 2022 season, Mick Schumacher has maintained close ties to the sport through key reserve roles. In 2023, he served as a reserve driver for Ferrari before moving to Mercedes in a similar capacity. For the 2025 season, Schumacher holds the role of reserve driver at Alpine. Alongside his F1 commitments, he has also been actively racing in the Hypercar category of the World Endurance Championship with Alpine, competing in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Trending
According to Steiner, who previously worked with Schumacher during his stint at Haas, the German driver’s two seasons in F1 could be a key asset. He felt the 26-year-old would be a more reliable option than an inexperienced rookie, bringing the kind of racecraft and technical understanding that a new team like Cadillac would benefit from. Steiner, who had fired Schumacher from Haas at the end of 2022, was unusually supportive of the former Formula 1 champion's son.
Commenting on the Cadillac driver options for 2026, Steiner said via F1 Insider:
“I think Mick has a good chance. Cadillac needs a driver with experience in Formula 1 and there are currently not many drivers who do not have a job, but have already driven Formula 1. This knowledge of how a successful team works could help Cadillac.”
Asked if the US drivers could be an option, Steiner said:
“I rather don't think they will take a US driver because the risk is simply too great. The boys have no experience in Formula 1 and then it can quickly backfire. That doesn't help anyone.”
Cadillac F1 team is reluctant to choose drivers making a personal point with a return
Cadillac F1 team principal Graeme Lowdon has stated that selecting a driver motivated solely by a personal agenda may not be the ideal approach for the team. Speaking on the High Performance podcast via GPFans, the former Marussia F1 team CEO emphasized that a driver’s mindset and intent will play a key role in shaping their final lineup. Lowdon stressed that Cadillac cannot be used as a platform for someone trying to prove a point, adding that such motivations may not translate into the right kind of drive or team contribution.
Asked about what qualities they are looking for in a driver, the Cadillac team principal said:
”Yeah, I think they're both, you know, they’ve both proved a whole bunch of things. Everyone wants to prove something else again. I never look at that as the biggest motivator. Our team is not there as a vehicle for someone to prove a point. Our team is there to provide a position on the pitch if you like for someone to prove what they can do for sure, but it's not the vehicle to kind of show the world, prove a point or whatever.
"The driver is there to do the best that they possibly can for their team and they should be motivated for the team around them as well. So, yeah, I'm less keen on people who kind of want to prove a personal point.”
Cadillac has a wide pool of talent to choose from for their 2026 F1 debut, including experienced names like Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez. Among the younger contenders are Mick Schumacher, Zhou Guanyu, Felipe Drugovich and Frederik Vesti.
With the sport heading into its summer break in August, the American outfit is expected to finalise its driver lineup soon. Operated by General Motors, the team will be based in Silverstone and will initially use Ferrari-supplied engines until 2028, after which they plan to introduce their own power unit.
