Verstappen's Dominance: Steiner Urges F1 to Stay Hands-Off
Dec.4 - Formula 1 must not implement any special measures to try to slow Max Verstappen's dominance.
That is the view of Gunther Steiner, boss of the team at the exact opposite end of the grid to Red Bull.
"At the beginning of the season, it looked like it was going to be a good season for us," said Steiner, team principal of the Gene Haas-owned small American outfit Haas.
"Five months later we thought it was going to be a sh*t season," he admitted. "We just couldn't find any speed in the car. When we realised that, it was already too late.
"That's our fault, it's that simple. We didn't realise in time that something was wrong," added Steiner, whose top driver Nico Hulkenberg has been recently critical of Haas' stalled development curve in 2023.
"I'm not happy either," he insists. "You can't be happy with tenth place."
So with Haas finishing dead last, Steiner says Haas cannot get involved in any discussions about how to bring Red Bull's closest rivals closer to the pace for the sake of F1.
"We have other goals," he told Ziggo Sport. "We want to get back into the midfield. Our goal is not to beat Max.
"It is more of a general question whether it is good for the sport that someone dominates so much," Steiner added. "And I think that the others have to improve."
Some believe F1 and the FIA should take measures to ensure a more competitive sport, but Steiner does not agree.
"You can never blame the winner for being too good," he said. "I firmly believe in that - if someone else does better than you do, don't blame him for being so good.
"You can't do anything wrong to Max, but instead you have to make sure you improve yourself. There are many teams with the same qualities and the same infrastructure and the same number of personnel as Red Bull," Steiner added.
"Obviously we are not on that list, but there are some teams that should be able to do it. It is not the case that this dominance will continue indefinitely."
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This would be a ridiculous move. Short changing a team because they have a better driver and builds a better car is insane. If they go with this, then end this folly now and safe the viewing public their hard earned money. Absurd that some teams would even talk about such a thing.
Agreed Susan
F1 is supposed to be the pinnacle of motor sport . If the other teams haven't done such a good job of developing their car eg ferrari mercedes that is their problem.
F1 is supposed to reward the best, not slow the best down to make the racing closer.
But isn't that what the reduction in wind tunnel time graduated in order of finish designed to do.Any talk of further restrictions to slow RB and specifically Max down is ridiculous. Where was this talk when Mercedes was dominating.
Just enjoy the greatness of a driver performing at his absolute best and appreciate the job RB is doing in developing such a car.
F1 has always been about innovation and rewarding that innovation and rewarding the best driver.
When you have one of the best drivers in the best car just appreciate it.It won't last eg Michael Schumacher and Ferrari ended by Alonso and Renault, Hamilton and Mercedes ended by Max and RB.