F1 News: Haas team owner 'embarrassed' after receiving help from rivals Ferrari

Verstappen, start, Singapore, 2023 — Photo: © LAT Images

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F1 team owner 'embarrassed' after receiving help from rival outfit

Despite competing against one another on track, there is a helping hand off it

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Wednesday 17 January 2024 17:57

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Haas F1 team owner, Gene Haas, has revealed his embarrassment at their inability to compete further up the grid despite the 'help' they receive from Ferrari.

Haas have had a close relationship with Ferrari since their induction into Formula 1.

The team that finished P10 in the constructors' championship last season – ultimately leading to Guenther Steiner's time as team principal coming to an end – take the power unit, suspension and other parts from Ferrari to help them compete.

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Despite their struggles on track, Haas has insisted that the relationship is still hugely beneficial, but called on the team to put an end to their race weekend 'humiliation' in 2024.

Haas use a Ferrari engine to compete in F1

Ferrari came P3 in the 2023 constructors' championship, while Haas recorded a last-place finish

Haas: Ferrari have helped despite on track humiliation

“Ferrari has been very good to us,” he told F1.com. “They have been with us since day one, they build incredible engines. Their suspension is extremely good. We have been using a lot of their hardware. It works really well.

"They really do help us. I’m embarrassed that we haven’t been able to do better with it but going forward, I want to take advantage of good equipment that a lot of other teams don’t have.

“Things are going to get a lot more competitive. Red Bull have AlphaTauri, we’re starting to see these relationships evolve, and I think the competition is going to be very intense, so having a partner like Ferrari is going to be very important...

"We can’t be running so far behind Ferrari. We need to be closer to them.”

“I think we’ve actually got a great formula here,” he added. “We have Ferrari engines which probably have more power than anybody right now.

"We have Ferrari hardware [as per the permitted listed parts within the regulations], we have a good chassis. I talk to a lot of the engineers and I think our biggest failing is aero; our aero programme needs work.

"When you’re at the track and you’re humiliated every weekend, I’m going to stop taking that one anymore.”

Ferrari Formula 1 Guenther Steiner Gene Haas Haas F1 Team