Gene Haas believes his team have enough resources at their disposal to improve their performance in 2024. He argues that collaboration with Ferrari gives them far more room to grow.
At this stage, there is plenty of conversation surrounding Haas F1 and their future on the grid.
The dismissal of Guenther Steiner initially sparked mixed reactions. Some argued a change of leadership was necessary for the team to progress, pointing towards last year’s underwhelming campaign.
However, a new school of thought is gathering momentum.
With Gene Haas adamant that his personnel can make do with their current resources, the spotlight has shifted.
For many, the model of bare minimum spending and outsourcing is unsustainable. Scrutiny on the team will only increase in the foreseeable future, especially as Ayao Komatsu completes his first season as team principal.
There is a possibility that Haas could languish at the back once more in 2024. If this is the case, Gene Haas will face even greater pressure than is currently being exerted on social media.
Kevin Magnussen (DEN) Haas VF-23 follows team mate Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Haas VF-23.
15.09.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 16, Singapore Grand Prix, Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore, Practice Day.
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Despite all this, he believes climbing the field is achievable:
“Ferrari has been very good to us,” he explains.
“They have been with us since day one. They build incredible engines. Their suspension is extremely good. We have been using a lot of their hardware.
“It works really well. They really do help us. I’m embarrassed that we haven’t been able to do better with it.
“But going forward, I want to take advantage of good equipment that a lot of other teams don’t have.”
With Andretti still working to enter the grid in 2025, any further stagnation at Haas could be received quite negatively.
Moving forward, the team will double down on an approach that appears increasingly limited. In an ideal scenario, this could result in semi-consistent points results.
However, the more sceptical observer would suggest that Haas is barely treading water.
Guenther Steiner’s exit is already a massive development in F1 news headlines. As it stands, last year’s 10th-placed team is attracting significant attention.
Author: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
