$100,000,000 investment not enough to beat F1 big boys Mercedes, states Haas boss Guenther Steiner
Haas F1 Team Principal Guenther Steiner recently stated that even a $100 million investment won't get them closer to Mercedes.
The American team is one of the most modestly run teams on the grid and does not boast the same infrastructure and investment as other big teams such as Ferrari, Alpine, and Aston Martin.
Since their arrival on the grid, Haas have struggled to compete at the top end because of their lack of investments. However, the budget cap has certainly helped them get on a more level playing field with F1's big boys.
However, speaking with PlanetF1, Steiner remarked that money is overrated in the sport and it's all about hiring the right people. He said:
“So we don’t need to make this investment. It’s not just about money In Formula 1, I think money sometimes is overrated – people think, if you invest 100 million, you can beat Mercedes. You can invest 100 million in your facilities and in your equipment, but then you still need the people, because the difference is the people.
"And running different business models is a people thing, it’s not an equipment thing. So I think there’s more than one way to do this and we’re doing it the way we want to do it," he added.
Can Mercedes win a race in 2023?
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton recently said that although in terms of consistent performance, they are way behind Red Bull, there is a possibility that the team can win a race in 2023.
Speaking with F1.com, the Mercedes driver said:
“At the moment, I'm not quite sure we can currently compete with [Red Bull] on race pace. I think there were times in [Hungary] Max was around eight tenths faster than everyone on a single lap. But never say never. We didn't start where we wanted to be at the beginning of the year, but we just made a lot of progress. It's been a huge amount of progress over the season so far and hoping that there'll be a lot more in the second phase.”
“My full focus is on to try and secure second for the team. I think for everyone back in the factory it means a huge amount for them. And whilst we can't currently catch the Red Bulls, I think that puts us in a good position for next year," Hamilton added.
It will be fascinating to see if Mercedes can compete with Red Bull in terms of race wins this season.