Since 2021, Haas enjoys a privileged relationship with its engine manufacturer, Ferrari. In addition to benefiting from many parts designed by the Prancing Horse, the American team has in its ranks many employees who have worked for the Scuderia and even operates in a building specifically dedicated to it within the Maranello factory.
Although the ties between Haas and Ferrari do not break the regulations, some teams are not happy with the situation. Several structures in the middle of the grid, direct competitors of Haas, but also Toto Wolff, director of Mercedescampaigned for a rewrite of the rules in order to restrict collaborations between teams.
This idea is limited to simple words for the moment, the FIA not having been officially seized and no investigation having been opened for the moment. This does not concern Günther Steiner however, the Haas director confident that the FIA is already monitoring the functioning of his team.
“I believe there has been no official complaint or protest”he said in the Imola paddock. “I think they just publicly expressed their concerns or their displeasure. I don’t think there was anything official. You have to ask the FIA, because the FIA hasn’t not inform us [en cas d’enquête].”
“The FIA follows us closely and knows what we are doing. Just yesterday they were in our offices to do an inspection – and I invite them to do so, they can come once a week, once a day, whenever they want. We have nothing to hide. We respect the regulations so I don’t know what the FIA is doing, if there is an investigation going on, if they have answered the people who have asked them questions, I don’t know know nothing.”
Unfortunately for Haas, this controversy overshadows the good start to the season for the American team, which voluntarily sacrificed the development of its previous car to focus fully on F1 2022, meeting new Technical Regulations. After three races, Haas is in seventh place in the championship having collected 12 units, a total which had not been reached since 2019. Haas is however not frustrated that the paddock is more interested in his links with Ferrari than to his performances on the track since, according to him, it has become a habit.
“I would say after a while you get used to it”he said. “I’d rather that, being told we’re doing something wrong because we’re doing a good job, than being like last year and everyone feeling sorry for us. I’d rather it’s the other way around. In the end, we’ll see what happens. It’s not the first time it’s happened. So after a while, you get used to it.”