Guenther Steiner: Haas 'not this stupid' to allow its drivers race in an 'unsafe' car
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner recently criticized the FIA's call to show a black and orange flag to Kevin Magnussen in Singapore as well as in the past few races. Ironically, he spoke of it before the Singapore Grand Prix, where the incident happened for the third time.
The Italian was annoyed with the FIA for not taking Haas's words seriously. He said:
“We tried to explain to them that we have a saying because we would never leave a car out there if it isn’t safe. That is what people have to understand. We are not this stupid. If it is unsafe, we are not stupid to leave it out there. It is the first thing of the technical people to make sure the car is safe.”
Sadly for Haas, even with six cars crashing out of the race, the team couldn't score a single point. Kevin Magnussen, who had qualified into Q3, had a bad start and lost several places. He was involved in a Lap 1 incident with Max Verstappen that damaged his front wing.
"It was a positive Saturday yesterday, and we’ve seen the car has some pace, so that’s at least encouraging. Hopefully we can keep it up moving forward."
#HaasF1 #SingaporeGP https://t.co/jSVbwKKdYD
Consequently, Magnussen was shown the black-and-orange flag as the front wing endplate on his car was seen hanging to the side. Steiner again called out the FIA's decision and said:
“The incident on lap one with Kevin, we lost all positions and again we received a black-and-orange flag, now for the third time, when there is no need for it. We have made it very clear to the FIA on the past two occasions and it’s just like you have your back against the wall.”
Steiner even claimed that the Haas unit is probably more qualified to judge such situations than the FIA.
Haas boss reveals Mick Schumacher's non-ideal situation at the team
Haas boss Guenther Steiner recently faced criticism from many for not extending Mick Schumacher's contract with the team. The German has had a mixed season, where Steiner believes he's not been consistent.
POV: You're on the Drivers Parade in Singapore! 🇸🇬
#HaasF1 #SingaporeGP @SchumacherMick https://t.co/Fnh8wW9QPO
Amidst rumors and tales, Steiner then went on to admit that Schumacher is not their first option. He said:
“I’ll be honest, we don’t know if Mick will stay or not. He has delivered very good races in Canada, Britain, and Austria. But he lacks consistency - he would have to deliver strong performances more often. We are not in a hurry regarding the driver question and Mick still has chances to show what he can do.”
As the remaining empty seats fill in, there is no news of where Schumacher will go next year. He is presently possibly without a seat and might not even be on the grid next season.