Steiner explains: 'That's why we didn't choose an American driver'

With the arrival of Logan Sargeant at Williams, Formula 1 has another American driver with a permanent seat for the first time since 2007. However, the American will not drive for American team Haas, but for British Williams.

According to Steiner, this has everything to do with Sargeant's experience. At the end of last season, Haas decided not to renew Mick Schumacher's contract for the same reason. Steiner made it clear that Haas wants to take steps forward and that requires an experienced driver.

'He needs experience'

"Of course I would like to see an American driver with us," Steiner explained. "I think what we need to see is to make a development of an American driver, which is very difficult. We had the last two years ago with two rookies, last year with one inexperienced driver. And we as a team are still very young. And for us at the moment there is more performance to be gained for the team to make it better, to get ready, because at the moment there is no American driver with experience in F1. Therefore, we decided not to take an American again."

Steiner does notice that Sargeant seems to get surprisingly little support from America. "There is now an American driver who is going to gain experience and he needs all the support he can get at the moment. And I don’t think at the moment it’s there. So hopefully it comes, because I wish that he makes experience and then once he has made experience, he comes to us, the American team. How about that?"