Haas driven by "the future" after two seasons of F1 struggle

Haas

Haas driven by "the future" after two seasons of F1 struggle

Team has yet to score a point this season

Ian Parkes

Monday 20 September 2021 17:09

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has revealed the whole organisation is being driven through the continuing rough times by the promise of what is to come in the future.

The American team has yet to score a point this season with rookies Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher after opting to halt development on the VF-21 before a wheel had turned in anger in order to focus on next year's new regulations and car.

Prior to the Italian Grand Prix, Steiner visited the team's Maranello design office along with owner Gene Haas to take stock of the development of the VF-22, which proved to be motivational.

“These are the things that keep me and the whole team going - the future," said Steiner.

"Going there with Gene, he hadn’t been in Italy for three years, due to Covid-19 he couldn’t come for the last few years.

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"So I showed him around and how we’ve changed over, how we’ve organised ourselves and how Simone [Resta, technical director] is leading the group.

"I think he was happy with what he saw, and again he looks forward to 2022 as all of us. I think we will be ready. Where we end up, I don’t know yet but, for sure, we will take steps forward.”

F1 triple-headers about "light at the end of the tunnel"

Steiner's recent focus was also on ensuring his team managed to get through F1's latest triple-header of Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy.

Steiner has long disliked the back-to-back-to-back scheduling of races, not helped by the lack of demoralising results.

Assessing the effects of the latest triple-header on Haas, he said: “Everybody was tired after it which is very demanding as we found out, and even after the summer break it was still tough for everybody.

"These things, you just have to work through them and try to keep the team motivated and try to give them a few days off in-between when it is possible, so at least they can chill out for a few days.

"But there is no magic to it. It’s trying to have them see the light at the end of the tunnel.”