Only a year ago, the Haas F1 Team was the worst team on the grid. The American unit scored no points during the entire 2021 season. Then, Haas hired Simone Resta to turn things around. And, my, what a difference a year makes!
Not long ago, Haas dropped its sponsor after Russia invaded Ukraine and (in a related action) dismissed one of its driversthe drivers. To boot, Mercedes’ Toto Wolf started complaining that Haas’s newfound success on the grid is similar to what Ferrari did a few years ago.
Does that sound familiar? It might if you have a good memory. Just a few years ago, Racing Point (now Aston Martin) came out with a chassis that looked very familiar to the AMG Mercedes, a team that was dominating Formula One. But an investigation into the matter didn’t go anywhere, despite good performances by the team from Northhampshire, which included a victory in Sakir by Sergio Perez.
Toto Wolff (photo courtesy Formula 1. com)
So why should the situation with Haas in 2022 be any different? Haas currently ranks seventh out of ten teams in the Constructor’s Championship, ahead of Alpha Tauri, Williams, and Aston Martin. But the team started strong with solid performances in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Since then, though, bad setups and Kevin Magnussen’s illness has pushed the team down the rankings.
This week in Imola is another opportunity for Haas to improve, and being on Ferrari’s home ground has Wolff continuing his criticism, comparing Haas to what happened (or allegedly happened) at Ferrari. Steiner scoffs at the thought.
“Mercedes won the World Championship eight years in a row,” Steiner responded. “They had a very strong engine, and good for them, they did a good job. But nobody said, ‘Oh, we now need to change the engine rule because Mercedes is winning everything.’ There is governance in place, and if certain people think they can change everything by just speaking, I don’t believe that will happen.”
But the criticism persists. One reason is that some call the car “Moby Dick” because it is said to be a white Ferrari. “You know, these allegations have always existed and always will,” Steiner responded. “I stay calm. If we are good, they call our car a ‘white Ferrari.’ If we are bad, then no. I’m starting to find that ridiculous. You have to work hard for envy. You get pity for free. I wish the others would be green with envy because that means we did a very good job.”
There are still many races to go this season, If Haas improves, then more people will give credit where credit is due–a new way of doing business on a team that hasn’t had much previous success on the grid.
