The Formula One grid is set to expand in 2016.
American outfit Haas F1 is set to make its debut in Formula One from next season, boosting the grid by two cars.
Not only is this great for the spectators as more cars invariably means more action, but it is also great for the Formula One drivers as it means that there are two new seats to fill.
Getting a seat in Formula One has always been tricky. You either need undoubted talent or big financial backing. Sometimes you need both.
No doubt this will become a factor for Haas, but the emphasis appears to be on experience as the new team venture into the F1 paddock for the first time.
‘We are talking with about 10 people – some are higher up the list, some are lower, but we also want to see who is out there. Haas team principal Guenther Steiner told Autosport Magazine.
‘experience and speed are important to us, experience for sure is very important because we’re a new team and we need some known quantities.
‘The whole team is new people put together. It’s a lot of unknowns so we need a known quantity in there who, in the end, can tell us ‘Hey guys, I think the car is good, but this part of the team doesn’t work’.
‘So we need experience, and if the experience is coming with speed, even better.’
Former Force India and current Ferrari reserve driver Esteban Gutierrez is one driver who has been strongly linked with a seat, Haas already holds good connections with Ferrari so this looks very plausible.
Former Toro Rosso driver Jean-Eric Vergne, who has been competing in Formula E is also rumoured to be linked, as is GP2 driver Alexander Rossi.
Force India driver Nico Hulkenberg is also rumoured to be in contention, but the driver could well still have a drive with Force India for 2016.
Ten drivers in contention for Haas 2016 seats
