Haas Seeking “Damage Control” With Schumacher and Mazepin Amid Major F1 Gamble

Ahead of the upcoming season in Formula One, Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has stated the measures that will be needed to ensure a sustainable campaign. The development freeze has created problems for the team, but they will work around it.

The development freeze will see the team finish last in the 2021 championship, but he is ready to risk it as he is aiming for the bigger picture. The American-owned team finished  9th in the constructors’ standings with just 3 points.

However, the team is also getting two talented young drivers for the new campaign. Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin will be behind the wheel and trying to push Haas from backmarkers to the mid-field battle, but the team boss still thinks they have a long way to go and have lessons to learn.

Haas will have to risk it all, says Guenther Steiner

In an interview with Motorsport Steiner said, “ Yeah, there is that risk, but we need to live with that risk, We need to see the big picture is the mid-to long-term, it’s not short term. If we just see the short term, then in ’22 it will be, ‘Why didn’t we do the ’22 car? Because now we cannot catch up.”

He added, ” “It’s very difficult to catch up with the aero restrictions and the budget cap. So you put as much in as you can on the front end. We’ve braced ourselves for it. We’ll do as much as we can for this year for the mid-term, compromise the short term for the gains on the mid- to long term. That’s our plan at the moment.”

On being questioned about his new rookie lineup, Guenther said, ” Damage control, trying to do the best for me success would be to get two drivers prepared for the future by the end of the year.”

He added, ”That will be success, that we learn, so in ’22 we don’t have any issues anymore, where we say these are rookie drivers and they still need to learn.”They learn for a year, and I think it is a good opportunity because the pressure will not be as high as when you have a good car. So I think our ambitions are realistic.”We just want to do the best we can. Hopefully, we can get some points now and then. But it will be tough–and we are braced for it.”

Fresh faces will be behind the wheel in 2021

After the departure of Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean, the team brought in rookies from F2, Mick Schumacher, and Nikita Mazepin for the grid in 2021. The two are exceptional drivers and will provide Haas with the success they desperately need.

The team is yet to announce when they will unveil their new car for the new season. However, the fans are more excited to see Mick Schumacher as he tries and replicate what his dad, Michael, did years ago.

The two drivers will take to the track in Bahrain on the 28th of March for the opening race of 2021. The duo will hope they can prove their doubters wrong and take the team to the next level in their debut year.

Also Read: Did Alfa Romeo Originally Want Mick Schumacher? – “Ferrari Decided Differently”