Haas to assess sprint "risk"

Guenther Steiner has stated Haas will only assess the risks required for Saturday's F1 sprint following qualifying.

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix hosts the first sprint event of the season and with points on offer down to eighth place, it is hoped the increased rewards will result in an improved spectacle.

Far from exhibiting a gung-ho attitude after Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher ended first practice fourth and fifth quickest, Steiner refused to be drawn on the level of risk his team would take in the short-format race.

"You concentrate on where you end up in qualifying [first]," Steiner told Sky Sports F1.

"You see where you start off and then you see how much risk you want to take but it all depends on qualifying and then we will see how we approach it."

Haas warn Imola conditions likely to change

First practice took place in treacherously wet conditions with a drier line appearing only late in the hour-long session.

Despite the high of the positions occupied by Magnussen and Schumacher, Steiner added: "It's always difficult to see what people are doing.

"Obviously, I'd rather be there than at the end of the field but I wouldn't read too much into it.

"It's good to be there, both guys did a good job just continuously getting faster with both types of tyres and we were out at the same time. 

"I think quali will be dry, it looks like, so that's a different story but it's good for morale to be there at the moment."

Clarifying his weather prediction, Steiner added: "It will not be raining but maybe the track will not be dry because it is just too cold.

"But what I wanted to say was that it will be different conditions again."

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

McLaren F1 star Oscar Piastri has wasp named after him

• 1 hour ago

New 2026 F1 rule absent for Monaco Grand Prix

• 2 hours ago

McLaren were a disaster, this would never happen with GP running the show

• 3 hours ago

F1 insider claims Kimi Antonelli crossed the line in George Russell battle

• Yesterday 19:55
• 1

Lewis Hamilton's mum has dinner with Kim Kardashian as relationship ramps up

• Yesterday 18:57

Isle of Man TT racer dies after qualifying incident

• Yesterday 17:27