F1 teams ask FIA for 'white Ferrari' clarity
Apr.19 - Gunther Steiner has dismissed claims that Haas' 2022 car is effectively a 'white Ferrari'.
The small American team, despite the pre-season controversy about the Mazepins and ousted title sponsor Mazepin, has leapt up the grid with its all-new car for the new regulations.
"That came as a bit of a surprise," Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer admits to Auto Motor und Sport.
"I didn't expect the balance of power to change with such a big rule change because it favours the teams with more know-how and better infrastructure.
"But I'm sure the FIA will investigate and come to the right conclusions about how similar these two cars are."
The question mark about Haas is only amplified by the fact that, throughout 2021, Haas was getting set up at a new base - on the grounds of Ferrari's Maranello factory.
"For us it's a question of principle," McLaren boss Andreas Seidl said.
"Two teams shouldn't have more than the engine and the internals of the gearbox in common. There shouldn't be any sharing of infrastructure.
"The danger is that sharing information will make the B-team better whilst also helping the A-team," he added.
A rumour even circulated in Melbourne recently that Ferrari had reacted to the controversy by 'turning down' the power of its obviously-better 2022 engine.
"What nonsense," Steiner insists.
He also slammed suggestions that Ferrari and Haas collaborated to such an extent that Haas might now be regarded as an extension of the fabled Italian marque.
"Anyone who wants to get in there has to use their own entrance," Steiner said. "Our computer systems are completely separate.
"No Formula 1 employee from Ferrari goes in there."
Still, the suspicions are continuing to circulate - from the back of the grid to the very front.
"It's a learning curve for us," said Mercedes' Toto Wolff, "because as an organisation of 2000 people that has been very successful in the past, we're now struggling with teams that are much smaller.
"They must have done a great job."
Nonetheless, he joins those who are calling on the FIA to look into the matter more closely.
"The change in personnel between two teams and the physical proximity of the infrastructure creates points of contention that are not good for our sport," said Wolff.
"But if you do a good job, you should be recognised for it and not doubted. That's why we have to find solutions in the future that prevent cooperations between two teams that are too close."
✅ Check out more posts with related topics:
Lets be honest here the Americans are incapable of producing a Fast car or driver so there is enough evidence for the Haas car to called 'a white Ferrari'.
230mph indy quali
Bugatti Chiron 304mph top speed. Even james may can drive fast in a straight line. Anyway back to america in F1
I have one word for you my froggy friend:
KOENIGSEGG
Swedish.
;)
Thank you, Shrop', for suffering this disillusioned Hamfan. I think that perhaps he is about to disappear. Too much data and too many facts confuse him.
He tries bless him , its all to much for him, never mind LaLa doing a Nico, F1a should probably do the same.
Leave Gunther alone, hasn't he suffered enough babysitting the turd Russians?
Nah, you and your chuckle brother would miss me. Anyway back to the successful American F1 teams and drivers, that's that done then.
Blah blah, Pink Mercedes, White Ferrari, blah blah. Red Bull have had two teams for years that share and try to copy the best from each other. This should've been stopped when Red Bull bought the team that became Torro Rosso and is now Alpha Tauri. Now both the other top teams have their b teams.
exactly.
Funny how nobody bitched during the past three seasons. And who the hell cares if teams share info ala RB/2d team for the past 15 years? Certainly not racing fans.
Something happened in 2019, but definitely all-legal this time around.
In the past American money has made enabled several WCC and made some teams very rich, for which they are eternally grateful ask Mr Denis...
Here we go. I wonder if in five years, F1 will be like Indy cars or NASCAR - spec frames, engines and tires and a return to pit fueling?
The only variables then would be driver talent, fuel and tire strategy - and of course the courses.