2 days ago
Guenther Steiner Rejects Idea of American F1 Driver for Cadillac
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Former Haas Formula 1 team boss Guenther Steiner gave his two cents on whether Indy 500 winner Alex Palou should get the nod on the seat for the incoming Cadillac F1 team, as well as the possibility of an American driver.
Steiner was one of the most beloved people in the F1 paddock for years, becoming a fan favorite on the Netflix show Drive to Survive.
He established a pseudo-American-based team with Haas F1, which has roots both in Europe and America.
Alex Palou, driver of the #10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, celebrates in Victory Circle after winning the NTT IndyCar Series109th Running Of The Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 25, 2025 in...
Alex Palou, driver of the #10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, celebrates in Victory Circle after winning the NTT IndyCar Series109th Running Of The Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 25, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. More
Photo bySteiner left F1 after clashing with team owner Gene Haas, and now he regularly appears on media outlets as an F1 commentator.
During an interview with RACER, as reported by Planet F1, Steiner was asked about whether Cadillac will give Palou a look for the F1 seat, given the Spanish driver's success in American motorsport.
"When you set a new team up, you've got so many things to work at.
"So, therefore, it was very important for me when we started off that we had drivers who drove already in F1 cars to develop the team, because that's the most important thing that you have to do the first year – you need to develop the team. If you want to develop drivers, you have to wait a little bit.
"If you put a driver who has never been in F1 into a team which has never been in F1, you actually don't do them a favor because it goes against them. How can they perform? Because you're focusing on developing the team, you cannot focus on them.
"Sometimes, then people say, 'Oh the driver wasn't good.' No, it wasn't the driver, it's just like they didn't have the right entry into Formula 1 because they worked with a team that... not that they didn't know what they were doing, that's too harsh, but they were still developing themselves.
"Experience [helps], because either you've got time or you take somebody who has done it – that was always my stance when we started Haas.
"I think if Cadillac comes in, they wouldn't be doing an American driver who has never been in F1 any favors."
Palou himself dismissed a move to F1 being in the works, preferring to stay in IndyCar rather than deal with the growing pains of a new F1 team.
His dismissal of a move to F1 could be an attempt to save face, as he may have heard that he is not in the running.
Palou, no matter where he races, will deliver great racing performances, though it seems F1 fans will not be seeing him on the grid.
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