"Such statements are typical of Guenther Steiner again" - Ralf Schumacher hits out at Haas F1 boss after 'superfluous' comments post-2022 Monaco GP
Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner has been criticized by former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher for his reaction to Mick Schumacher's recent crash during the 2022 F1 Monaco GP.
Ralf Schumacher is the younger brother of Mick's father, seven-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher, and raced in the sport for the likes of Jordan, Williams, and Toyota between 1997 and 2007.
After Mick Schumacher's Haas VF-22 split into two, following a crash at the "Swimming Pool" chicane in the most recent race in the Principality, his uncle laid the blame squarely at the 23-year-old's feet, saying:
“The failure in the race was his fault. He got onto the wet and that’s a mistake you can’t afford to make.”
However, the 46-year-old did not take kindly to Steiner's comments following the incident, where Mick Schumacher was fortunate to walk away uninjured. In an interview with Sky Germany, Ralf Schumacher said:
“Such statements are typical of Güenther Steiner again. They leave too much to interpretation. It’s superfluous. The team has also made many mistakes. Now two things have to come together. On the one hand, Mick has to be careful not to make any driving mistakes. But Haas also has to move on because [Kevin] Magnussen is also starting to struggle now.”
Schumacher, who won six race wins and 27 podiums during his career, went on to add:
“It is important everything comes together now. That there is no technical defect, that he [Mick] can drive his practice sessions and doesn’t make any mistakes. If both sides play better together, I don’t see a problem."
He also hinted at a move for Mick Schumacher in the future if things don't pan out at Haas. He said:
“I think the team bosses see exactly what potential there is. There are also other possibilities. There’s a lot going on right now, a big German manufacturer is coming into Formula 1 and really wants a German driver. From that point of view, I would be cautious.”
Haas F1 team principal is concerned that increase in budget cap will widen then gap between teams on the grid
Guenther Steiner is worried that any increase to F1's pre-existing cost cap could lead to more disparity between the top three teams and the rest of the grid.
Following the rising prices due to inflation, the likes of Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari have implored the FIA to make some allowances in the budget cap, which currently limits spending to $140 million.
Speaking in an interview carried by PlanetF1, the Italian team boss weighed in on the matter, saying:
“The three top teams are pushing for an extra budget and assuming this proposal is somehow accepted, what would it lead to Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari would bring one or two extra updates to the track, which would eventually cancel each other out, and the only result would be to widen the gap to the rest of the teams. This was not the idea behind the budget cap when it was proposed and voted on.”
Steiner also suggested that Christian Horner should start saving money instead of seeking ways to loosen Red Bull's purse strings.
Catch Haas this weekend at the Azerbaijan GP.