Steiner knows a replacement for a driver who wants to leave Jeddah
F1 News
- GPblog.com
On Saturday morning in the paddock, nobody was talking about who will take pole later in the day. The main topic of conversation is still the events of the previous day: the attack not far from the circuit.
Not all satisfied
After an hour-long meeting in which all F1 drivers participated, news came in the night from Friday to Saturday that the race will go ahead. The drivers came to this decision after being assured by the authorities and the F1 organisation that their safety was guaranteed. Ferrari team boss Binotto already let it be known that not all drivers were 100 percent satisfied, but that they will go ahead anyway.
Haas' drivers also remain active in Saudi Arabia. Should Kevin Magnussen or Mick Schumacher - or any of the other drivers on the grid - still decide not to take part in the Grand Prix, Haas boss Gunther Steiner has a replacement ready. "If a driver doesn't want to drive, we'll put Pietro (Fittipaldi) in. He can't wait! That would be the solution," he said at a press conference.
Experience
Pietro Fittipaldi is a reserve driver for Haas. After the team sidelined Nikita Mazepin, the Brazilian hoped to advance to a race seat. According to Steiner, Fittipaldi was a candidate, but the team ultimately chose Magnussen's experience.