"Without Ferrari, we wouldn't be here" - Steiner

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has paid tribute to Ferrari ahead of the team's 1,000th race in Formula 1 this weekend, admitting his own team "wouldn't be here" without the Scuderia.

Ferrari is the only team on the grid that has competed in every season since the championship's inception in 1950.

When Haas entered the sport in 2016, an ongoing technical partnership was struck in order to allow the American team to go racing.

It has led to Steiner praising the Scuderia for giving his team a chance, and claiming the relationship between the two "continues to improve" despite the lack of performance from the Ferrari engine this season.

“Formula One without Ferrari would only be half of Formula One," said Steiner ahead of the Tuscan Grand Prix at Mugello that is owned by Ferrari.

"That’s what we have to be honest about. They’ve been there since almost the beginning and they’re just such a big part of what Formula One is now.

"Honestly, without Ferrari, we wouldn’t be here either. In the beginning, when we tried to find a different way to do it, they were listening to us and entertaining us.

"We then found a solution where we could enter Formula One. Entering Formula One without a partner, starting from nothing, it’s almost impossible – I’m not saying impossible, there’s always someone that can do the impossible.

"Put simply though, without them, we wouldn’t be here. Our relationship with Ferrari was always very good, and it’s continued to improve with time.”

With the deficit in performance from the power unit this year, Haas, along with the factory team and Alfa Romeo, has been handicapped at the last two races on the low downforce circuits of Spa and Monza.

Steiner is confident of an improved result at a Mugello track which he hopes will offer the trio of teams some respite.

“Mugello’s more like a traditional circuit, as I would call it," he added.

"Not like Spa and Monza which are high-speed circuits. Hopefully, we can perform a little bit better there with it not being so power sensitive.

"I think it’s good that we’re going there. We also have to remember that this is the first time a Formula One race has been held there. Being a new track, as is normal, I’m sure some surprises will come up. I’m hoping we’ll have some good surprises.”

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