Guenther Steiner, the Haas Team Principal, has talked about his decision to part ways with Mick Schumacher at the end of the 2022 F1 season. During the whole campaign, the rumors around Haas were based on the shenanigans that were taking place between Steiner and Schumacher. At the end of it all, it was decided that it was in the best interest of both parties to go their separate ways.
While Mick Schumacher is no longer with the Haas F1 team, Guenther Steiner, while shedding light on his decision, recently added, “It’s a good point, even if it offends some traditionalists and a hundred well-paid engineers. But what of his own team, now with Kevin Magnussen and Hulkenberg? They have finished eighth, eighth, fifth, ninth, ninth, 10th, and eighth. ‘I feel good about what we did. We wanted the experience.”
The Italian-American, in blatant fashion, has admitted that he has no regrets about not renewing Schumacher’s F1 contract with the Haas team at the end of the 2022 F1 season. Moreover, has even gone on to say that, Haas needed experienced drivers to take the team forward, and that is why they decided to bring on board the versatile Nico Hulkenberg.
To back his claim, he has further stressed the finishing positions of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen so far in the 2023 F1 season. They have been very much present in the Top 10 during qualifying this season and, so far, have scored 1 point for the Kannapolis-based F1 team. The VF-23 has a serious one-lap pace that has troubled the midfield teams.
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Guenther Steiner has high expectations this year
Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen have been making their trade-in F1 for several years. They have a wealth of experience, and Steiner wants them to help the team as much as possible in having a say in the midfield battle this year. As things stand, Haas is currently 7th in the Constructors standings, and Guenther Steiner ardently believes, that they can go higher if things pan out well during the season.
While Haas has looked strong on a one-lap pace so far in the 2023 season, the team has not been able to pose a huge challenge regarding the Grand Prix. The race pace of the VF-23 is a bit less compared to the lights of Alfa Romeo, and Alpine. Thus, the duo of Hulkenberg and Magnussen haven’t been able to pose much of a challenge during the two races that have taken place so far.
Considering everything that has happened so far in the 2023 F1 season, would Haas really be able to go wheel-to-wheel with the heavy hitters of the midfield on a regular basis? The teams around them would keep on bringing upgrades during the ongoing campaign, and it would be interesting to see whether Haas would be able to do the same or not.
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