Critical ex-F1 boss backs legacy star for Cadillac drive

Mick Schumacher has been touted as a favorite for one of the two vacant seats at the incipient Cadillac F1 entry, by the man who released him from Haas.

The American team will make their debut in the sport at the Australian Grand Prix in March next year, expanding the field to 22 cars for the first time in nearly a decade.

They will not be the only squad on the grid from across the pond however, with Graeme Lowdon's GM-backed project set to join Haas as the second US F1 team.

Schumacher, son of F1 legend Michael, made his debut in the sport with Haas in 2021, racing under the leadership of Guenther Steiner until the young German was dropped from the lineup ahead of the 2023 season.

Now, Schumacher's former boss has backed the 26-year-old for a seat with Cadillac despite only earning 12 points across his two seasons in F1 with Haas.

"I think Mick really has a chance," Steiner told RTL, as quoted by Formule1.NL.

"Cadillac needs a driver with Formula 1 experience, and there aren't many unemployed drivers right now, but they do have this experience," he declared.

READ MORE: F1 pundit warns Mercedes 'embarrassing' driver over Max Verstappen pursuit

Steiner makes U-turn on Schumacher F1 shot

Schumacher is just one of many ex-F1 stars being named as a potential candidate for one of the two F1 seats up for grabs with Cadillac, with former racers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez also two of the hot favourites to sign for next season.

Both Schumacher and Bottas share the same credentials of being an F1 test and reserve driver for Mercedes, a role which Steiner claimed would be a great help to Cadillac as they navigate their first few seasons in the sport.

"When he was a test driver at Mercedes, he didn't race, but he did learn a lot about a good, big team," Steiner continued. "This knowledge of how a successful team works can help Cadillac."

"I don't think they'll choose an American driver, because the risk is simply too great," the Drive to Survive star added.

"These guys have no Formula 1 experience, and that could quickly put Cadillac in trouble. Sergio Pérez, Valtteri Bottas, and Zhou Guanyu. They all have Formula 1 experience. Along with Mick Schumacher, they are my favorite candidates for Cadillac."

Schumacher retired from his role with Mercedes last season to race full-time with Alpine in the World Endurance Championship, although recently he did confirm that he had been involved in 'positive talks' with Cadillac F1.

When discussing the chances of Schumacher's return, Steiner had nothing but praise for his former driver despite choosing to drop him from his own F1 lineup in the past, claiming the youngster is a 'hard worker' and a 'really nice guy.'

READ MORE: Max Verstappen says former Red Bull teammate 'good choice' for Cadillac F1 project

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