Haas consider Ocon and Russell for 2019

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has revealed that Esteban Ocon and Formula Two star George Russell are on the team's radar for a 2019 Formula One seat, and that the driving line-up of the American outfit should be finalised within the next two weeks.

The grid for the opening race is 2019 is set to be hugely different from 2018 after various team changes including Daniel Ricciardo moving to Renault, Charles Leclerc joining Ferrari, and Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris being promoted to Red Bull and McLaren respectively.

Force India, who were facing bankruptcy, were taken over by Lawrence Stroll who is poised to replace Ocon in the team with his son, Lance, from Williams.

The Frenchman, for the moment, does not have a seat for 2019, but Steiner is looking towards the possibility of taking him or Russell on with Haas.

“You always consider because they are both good drivers,” Steiner said of Ocon and Russell when previewing this weekend's Russian Grand Prix.

“But then again we need to look after ourselves and I think the problem is for Mercedes [to solve].

“They [Mercedes] have too much talent and now they need to find a way to solve that problem. Why should that be a problem for the other people? It’s a good problem to have and they need to solve that one themselves.”

With the grid for next season starting to take shape, Haas are one of the only teams who have not confirmed their line-up yet. Kevin Magnussen looks set to be included, but there are some doubts over the future of Romain Grosjean, and Steiner thinks their team should be confirmed by the Japanese GP.

“Two weeks is over in Japan and it will be within them. It will be within them,” the Haas boss said of the line-up confirmation.

Any potential deal between Haas and Ocon or Russell would be hugely complicated by the fact both are Mercedes junior drivers, while Haas has a working relationship with Ferrari.

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