It's time for Haas to pull the plug on its F1 project
Column
- Ludo van Denderen
Once again, Guenther Steiner was very outspoken about Andretti Cadillac's possible entry into Formula 1. Speaking on US television ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the Haas F1 team boss reiterated his earlier words: namely, he still had not seen the sporting and commercial added value of Andretti Cadillac. Meanwhile, the Italian should also take a critical look at what his own team adds to Formula 1. Indeed, at the moment it is very little.
Much was hoped - perhaps even expected - of the update, which Haas introduced at the US Grand Prix in Austin. With one race to go in 2023, the conclusion can be drawn: it has all brought the team nothing. There are still sometimes acceptable qualifying results, but in the Grand Prix, the car seems to be going backwards. Only 12 points Haas captured as a result this season. So another lost year, like many by now.
Andretti has things in better shape than Haas
Haas is both the smallest and the slowest team in Formula 1. Little money, hardly any prospect of improvement and at best a supporting role at the Grand Prix. If Steiner wonders what Andretti Cadillac would add sport-wise, it is indeed pie in the sky. Plenty of factors that could make Michael Andretti and his men face a tough battle in the first few years. Yet already it is known that from 2028, General Motors - under the Cadillac brand name) will supply its own power units to the team.
General Motors is completely new to Formula 1 and will surely need some time to acclimatise. At the same time, they are no simpletons: it is one of the world's biggest carmakers, which knows what winning is in IndyCar, for example. In the (medium-)long term, GM will really come out on top. Haas has no such deal with a manufacturer - nor does it look like Gene Haas' team will become a factory team anytime soon. As a result, Haas remains dependent on Ferrari; being a customer team always has many drawbacks (just ask Red Bull Racing).
No doubt Steiner would point out, if asked, that Alfa Romeo and AlphaTauri, for example, are not competitive in every race either. But Alfa Romeo will soon become Sauber again and then Audi, making it a factory team. AlphaTauri is the ideal place for talents to get mileage, which gives the team its raison d'être. Just look at which eventual top performers have found their way into Formula 1 through AlphaTauri - and earlier Toro Rosso.
Haas a retirement home for drivers
Instead, Haas presents itself as a retirement home for retired F1 drivers. Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg had already ended their Formula 1 careers, but Haas still gave them a second (or third, even fourth) chance. They too can do little with the material at their disposal. Besides, they are not drivers who can count on a large fan base in the grandstands.
Yes, a stray Dane or German sometimes walks around wearing a Haas cap or shirt. It is a few. Look for the Haas merchandise stand during an F1 weekend. That's a tough search, even if there is one. Haas - working with the lowest budget in Formula 1 - is not attractive to sponsors either. It is purely thanks to the main sponsor Moneygram that the American team is not in money trouble. And let's face it: surely no one turns on the TV for a Grand Prix and is particularly curious about Haas' performance? In short, the commercial value of Haas F1 is very much nil.
That Steiner is reluctant to welcome Andretti Cadillac into Formula 1 is understandable from his point of view. With even less budget - if F1's revenues are split among all teams - Haas' prospects become even murkier. Steiner actually has to ask himself whether there should be a future for his team at all? However much the flamboyant team boss will be missed, the answer to that question at the moment is a resounding 'no'.