Haas’ technical conversion fills Steiner with confidence

Mick Schumacher

Haas F1 boss Günther Steiner is confident about the team’s prospects for 2022, as the completely newly established technical staff are gradually settling in.

Steiner has resigned himself to the fact that Haas is fighting for “a point or two” this season, as he has decided to sacrifice in 2021 and invest the development efforts in next year’s car, which will be the first according to the new technical regulations becomes.

The VF-21 is therefore very similar to the VF-20, with which the Anglo-American team was only able to achieve ninth place in the 2020 constructors’ championship, and is driven by two newcomers in Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin.

While these factors practically guarantee a third tough season in a row, Steiner is thrilled with what goes on behind the scenes.

With the budget cap in Formula 1 this year, Haas has been bolstered by injecting employees that Ferrari would otherwise have had to lay off and who have been working on the 2022 car for months.

“’22, it’s like we’ve been developing since the beginning of February,” Steiner told the In the Fast Lane podcast.

“The guys work all the time just to get a good car, but even if we have a good car and the others do a better job, I don’t know where we’ll end up.

“But I am convinced that we will be in a good position again. That’s the only thing I can say.

“I can see the work that is going on right now. It’s a bit early because as I said, we started in February, now we are in April, but we’re making good progress in the wind tunnel, you know …

“Why I believe in this is because last year when we were in a little … or a little crisis – more than a little – we took a lot of people off.

“We have rebuilt this entire engineering team and seconded people from Ferrari to us – seconded on a long-term basis, of course – and that gives you confidence, because how else can you be confident if you are like last year?

“You are already working. We started rebuilding the team in December and got back on track in January, so that’s where my confidence comes from. “

Since the team is a tool for tool tycoon Gene Haas to market his Haas automation business, there have been questions about his future.

However, the Haas F1 team and its nine rivals signed the new Concorde deal last August, and Steiner says it has the support it needs from its American owner.

Guenther Steiner

“I think I can say the team is safe,” he advised.

“You know we’re fine.

“We have a long-term commitment from Mr. Haas to Formula 1, our finances are good, we have found ways to cross this bridge.

“So, really happy with that.”

Formula 1 itself has tried to raise its profile in Haas’ home market and was finally able to announce earlier this month that it will be racing in Miami from 2022.

Steiner believes that there are many factors in the largest motorsport category in the world that cannot seriously establish themselves in the largest economy in the world to date.

However, he believes a second race in the US in a city like Miami should be another boost.

“We all know that the US has its own motorsport series here. NASCAR is the most important and then IndyCar, ”remarked the Italian.

“I think the biggest thing is that there hasn’t been a successful American driver in F1 for a long time. If that happened it would pick it up right away.

“But even if we haven’t had a race for a long time or have come and gone, the disaster race – with the tire problems in Indianapolis in 2005 – didn’t help, so there were always some hurdles in the way.

“But I can see a good mood in F1 at the moment in the USA. We’re far from the main sport here, but I think good progress has been made.

“Freedom [Media, F1 owner] Obviously it’s a US company, it’s in your best interests and you can see that there is a lot of potential to grow the sport and business in the US.

“I think a second race will help, especially a city race like Miami. I think the biggest F1 fan base [in the United States] is actually in Miami so I think that helps a lot.

“But I think there are so many little things, there isn’t just one thing why the F1 isn’t as popular as the rest of the world.

“But all the things that are done will help you.”

The third round of the Formula 1 season 2021 begins this Friday with the opening training for the Portuguese Grand Prix from 8:30 p.m. CEST.