Haas needs "thinking hat" to deal with prize money drop
Haas Formula 1 team principal Gunther Steiner admits he will need his "thinking hat" to tackle the likely substantial drop in constructors' championship prize money following his squad's 2019 slump.
Having taken a breakthrough fifth in the teams' standings last season, Haas has endured a painful campaign this year and is currently down in ninth.
If it stays there, that would be the team's worst championship result in its four seasons in F1 so far.
Asked by Motorsport.com how big a concern that was for future development budgeting, Steiner replied: "As always, if you lose out on big money like this, you always have to put your thinking hat on how not to waste money next year.
"It's not an existential problem, but for sure it's not like 'yeah, it doesn't matter'. It's something between - we need to manage it, it's never a nice thing to manage less money, as we all know."
In its efforts to understand its struggles with tyre management in particular this year, Haas resorted to running differing aerodynamic packages across its two cars in the middle of the season.
Romain Grosjean favoured the package with which the team had begun the year, while Kevin Magnussen persisted with the latest upgrades.
Asked by Motorsport.com if having to try two ultimately unsuccessful aero packages had been a particularly costly setback, Steiner replied: "Absolutely. It's very expensive, and if you don't gain anything, it's wasted.
"But I think what we learned from it - we know now where are at, and what not to do.
"Now we have to make sure that on next year's car we don't have a similar problem.
"But at least we know the problem, that's the starting point of any improvement - it's knowing what not to do, what caused the lack of performance."
Haas's 2019 season has also been clouded by its short-lived and turbulent title sponsorship deal with Rich Energy.
Steiner said parent company Haas Automation would make up any budget shortfall caused by the Rich saga.
"We haven't lost money, but luckily we've got Haas Automation as a good partner, and they'll support us for what the deal didn't bring to the final bit," he explained.
He said he was relieved that the Rich story was now over.
"The investors, they are good people. And I don't know where they're going," said Steiner.
"But I'm relieved not to have to deal with it anymore, because it gets old after a while.
"When you don't make progress, you have to deal with the problem where there is no progress made, that is not satisfying in my life, and I'm not going out to fight with somebody just for the sake of it. If you cannot make progress, why waste energy?
"So, it is disappointing that it ended how it ended, but again, with the investors in Rich Energy, we terminated on a good standing, so you never know what happens in the future."
Previous article
The consequences of going solo for snubbed Renault
Next article
Honda will match Mercedes, Ferrari power in 2020 - Marko
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Teams | Haas F1 Team |
| Author | Matt Beer |
How Do Drivers Stay Fit For F1 Grand Prix?
Ronnie Peterson and Jochen Rindt Tribute
#ThinkingForward with Juan Pablo Montoya
The 'new' F1 drivers who need to improve at Imola
After a pandemic-hit winter of seat-swapping, F1 kicked off its season with several new faces in town, other drivers adapting to new environments, and one making a much-anticipated comeback. Ben Anderson looks at who made the most of their opportunity and who needs to try harder…
The delay that quashed Aston Martin’s last F1 venture
Aston Martin’s only previous foray into Formula 1 in the late 1950s was a short-lived and unsuccessful affair. But it could have been so different, says Nigel Roebuck.
Verstappen exclusive: Why lack of titles won't hurt Red Bull's ace
Max Verstappen’s star quality in Formula 1 is clear. Now equipped with a Red Bull car that is, right now, the world title favourite and the experience to support his talent, could 2021 be the Dutchman’s year to topple the dominant force of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes?
Is Formula 1 as good as it has ever been now?
For many, many years Formula 1 has strived to do and to be better on all fronts. With close competition, a growing fanbase, a stable political landscape and rules in place to encourage sustainability, 2021 is on course to provide an unexpected peak
How Williams’ new structure adheres to a growing F1 trend
Williams held out against the tide for many years but, as MARK GALLAGHER explains, the age of the owner-manager is long gone
When a journeyman driver's F1 career lasted just 800m
Nikita Mazepin’s Formula 1 debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix lasted mere corners before he wiped himself out in a shunt, but his financial backing affords him a full season. Back in 1993 though, Marco Apicella was an F1 driver for just 800m before a first corner fracas ended his career. Here’s the story of his very short time at motorsport’s pinnacle.
How Raikkonen's rapid rise stalled his teammate's F1 career climb
Kimi Raikkonen's emergence as a Formula 1 star in his rookie campaign remains one of the legendary storylines from 2001, but his exploits had an unwanted impact on his Sauber teammate's own prospects. Twenty years on from his first F1 podium at the Brazilian GP, here's how Nick Heidfeld's career was chilled by the Iceman.
The nightmare timing that now hinders Mercedes
Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton took victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix despite, for a change, not having the quickest car. But any hopes of developing its W12 to surpass Red Bull's RB16B in terms of outright speed could not have come at a worse time.
