Gunther Steiner, Emilio Romagna GP 2021
© Haas F1 Team / LAT
Gunther Steiner downplayed suggestions that the Haas project in Formula 1 could come to an end.
It is said that the small American team only started the 2021 season – the sixth in Formula 1 – due to the sponsorship injection from Dmitry Mazepin and the additional support from Ferrari.
Haas is stepping on the water in 2021 by focusing solely on developing a brand new car for next year, but Chef Steiner denied the team might not make it by 2022 at all.
“I think I can say the team is safe,” he told the Australian GP podcast.
“We’re fine. We have a long-term commitment from Mr. (Gene) Haas to Formula One, our finances are good, we’ve found ways to cross that bridge so I’m really happy with this one.”
According to Steiner, Haas has been working on the 2022 car since the beginning of February and is “convinced” that the team will pull out of the bottom row after the “crisis” in 2020.
“We have people who are seconded from Ferrari – seconded on a long-term basis, of course – and that gives me the confidence, because otherwise how can you be confident if you are like last year?” he said.
“We have made a lot of changes and have already rebuilt the whole team – they are already working. We started rebuilding the team in December and got going again in January. That’s where my confidence comes from.”
For 2021, Steiner said that Haas would not measure the success of the season in terms of points, but “how much progress these guys make”.
It refers to the rookies Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin, who are already under contract for 2022.
“There will be some downtime – I mean, personally on a Sunday evening when you are 15th and 16th, you don’t have the best Sunday night,” said Steiner.
“But you just have to stay focused, believe in the team and yourself, and it’s only ten months away anyway.”
(GMM)
The post Haa’s future in F1 is certain, says Steiner first appeared on monter-une-startup.
