Haas hint at Gutierrez signing

Esteban Gutierrez looks set to line-up alongside Romain Grosjean at debutants Haas F1 next season, but the team won't be making the announcement in Austin.

The signing of Gutierrez appears to be one of the paddock's worst kept secrets, with the Mexican reportedly set to be confirmed prior to his home grand prix next month.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Haas F1 team boss Guenther Steiner revealed what kind of driver the American-based team were looking for.

He said: "Someone who has driven an F1 car, of the current generation, money is always important because it costs a lot of money, and North America is a nice place for a driver to come from."

Ferrari reserve driver Gutierrez certainly fits the bill, having raced with Sauber between 2013 and 2014, and hailing from Mexico.

Gutierrez's links with the Scuderia tie in well with Haas, who have a technical partnership with Ferrari, while the sponsorship money that Gutierrez will reportedly bring would certainly be welcomed by a team making their entrance into F1.