Haas F1 Team Principal, Guenther Steiner, has said the only thing they will be focusing on this season is bringing the fight to Williams.
The team has previously made it clear that their main focus is on the 2022 championship when a slew of new regulations could work in their favour.
The VF-21 has very little improvements on the team’s 2020 contender, with development on their 2022 car underway.
Speaking about their real potential this season, Steiner said; “I would say if we can take the fight to Williams that’s about it.
“You know, and I am very realistic about that.
“And we are not putting any effort into doing anything more than that.”
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Steiner went on to say that the best they can get out of this season is to simply prepare their rookie drivers Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin for next year’s fight.
He said; “I think the biggest amount we can get out of the car [is] to get our drivers prepared or get them prepared better, just get them experience and that is what we want to do so they are ready when we have a better car and that is just how our plan is for this year.”
The team finished out the first race of the season with Schumacher in P16 and Mazepin P20.
“I think both of them went on to the throttle too harsh, you know, and they then went on the kerb or something like this”, Guenther said.
“And it’s just, you know, these cars are so powerful, and when the torque kicks in, you get a kick and you cannot recoup them anymore.
“So I think this is down to making the experience.”
Mazepin’s weekend of qualifying featured a number of spins in the VF-21 while race day saw him retire on Lap one for a similar feat, but Steiner reassured fans saying; “I do not think that they will do that again. They will spin again, but not in the way they did.
“This was a new experience, in a race, you know, trying to fight with other cars, and sometimes to be a little bit too optimistic.”
Racing resumes for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on April 18.
