The American team had announced before the first race that it would not develop its VF-21 car after pre-season testing in Bahrain and instead focused all resources on its 2022 challenger.
Haas will have some minor updates for the second race of the season at Imola as they weren’t ready in time for testing or the season opener but won’t add any new developments after that.
The team was at the bottom of the list for most of the Bahrain GPs, drivers Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin qualified last, the German half a second ahead of the next Williams.
Mazepin crashed right at the beginning of the race, while Schumacher crossed the finish line last.
Steiner remains realistic about Haas’ outlook for the coming season, recognizing that the best he can do is help his drivers gain experience before hoping it will be a better year in 2022.
“I would say if we can get the fight to Williams, that’s all,” Steiner said. “You know, and I’m very realistic. And we don’t go out of our way to do more than that.
“I think the biggest amount we can get out of the car [is] To prepare our drivers, or better prepare them, just give them experience and that is what we want to do so that when we have a better car they will be ready and that’s our plan for this year. “
Gunther Steiner, Team Principal, Haas F1
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Mazepin’s weekend was thwarted by multiple spins before his early retirement, while Schumacher spun too on the restart but managed to rejoin and secure his first F1 race.
Steiner is optimistic that both drivers have learned from their mistakes and will not repeat them.
“I think if you fight they have to learn these fights,” added Steiner. “I think they both hit the gas too hard, you know, and then they hit the curb or something.
“And it’s just like that, you know, these cars are so powerful and when the torque kicks in you get a kick and you can’t make up for it. I think that depends on experience.
“I don’t think they’re going to do that again. They’ll spin again, but not the way they did today.
“That was a new experience in a race, you know, fighting with other cars and being a little too optimistic at times.”
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