The world of Formula 1 recently received good news as Cadillac, backed by General Motors, prepares to join the grid as the 11th team in 2026. With approval granted for their entry by FOM, the American giant is now tasked with assembling a strong leadership team.
One of the most critical positions is the role of team principal, and speculation about who might be fit for that job has already started making rounds on the internet. Amid this speculation, Guenther Steiner, the former team principal of Haas, has been suggested as an ideal candidate for the job.
Matt Elisofon, host of The Red Flags Podcast, outlined why Steiner might be the perfect fit. According to Elisofon, Steiner has a proven track record of bringing an American-based F1 team to the grid, having played a key role in establishing Haas in the sport.
Steiner’s understanding of Ferrari’s technical partnership, as Cadillac is also expected to work with the Italian team, further highlights his suitability for such a role. Despite receiving such glowing praise, Steiner has firmly ruled himself out of the race for the Cadillac team principal position as he made it clear that he has no interest in the role.
| According to AP News, the team that would enter on the F1 grid in 2026 would be called Cadillac F1.
They would be a Ferrari engine through 2026 and 2027 and with their own engine starting 2028.
VIA: [@AP ] pic.twitter.com/1t4CXGvD0O
— This is Formula 1 (@ThisIsFormu1a1) November 24, 2024
“I think there is a line outside for the boss to be and I’m not in that line, guys,” Steiner made it clear. He also expressed skepticism about the current structure of the Cadillac project, which involves GM and its partner TWG Global. The 59-year-old pointed out what he sees as an overly crowded leadership setup within the Cadillac team.
“You know what it is? If you’ve got seven people running a company, there’s no point to be one of the seven, especially a racing team,” he explained. “It’s already crowded there in my words, you know, so they don’t need me in the crowd. I don’t want to be part of the crowd.”
Who might be on Cadillac’s radar for leading the team
While Steiner may not be interested, Cadillac has several other candidates with extensive F1 experience to consider. One potential choice is Otmar Szafnauer, a seasoned team principal with years of experience leading teams like Force India (in all of its avatars) and Alpine. Another possibility is Cyril Abiteboul, the former Renault team boss.
So is Andretti still part of what’s now called the Cadillac Formula 1 team?
Sort of…
Mario Andretti will be on the board of directors, and team leaders Dan Towriss and Mark Walter are key Andretti team figures. Towriss is CEO of the TWG Global motorsport group that now owns… pic.twitter.com/vtRpibpqna
— The Race (@wearetherace) November 25, 2024
Since leaving Formula 1, Abiteboul has continued his motorsport career and currently serves as team principal of Hyundai Motorsport and Cadillac might see him as a good fit for its F1 program. Lastly, Andreas Seidl, who once led McLaren and then became the CEO at Sauber before being replaced by Mattia Binotto ahead of the team’s rebranding to Audi, could also be in the mix.
