“If they fight without damaging the team, I have no problem”- Guenther Steiner has sent across a strict warning to his new drivers.
Haas would be presenting an absolute rookie lineup in 2021, as it has hired two fresh graduates from F2- Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin in place of Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean.
This has been termed as a financially driven decision, but this had harmed Haas’ reputation too, as it was also stuck between the cross-fire of public outrage when Mazepin was accused of sexual harassment.
Moreover, the Russian driver never had a pleasant public image and was penalized for punching Callum Ilott once. Mazepin has also revealed that he doesn’t share a friendly bond with Schumacher.
Responding to all the buildup, Guenther Steiner, the team principal of Haas has made it clear to his duo that they may fight, but it should never be on the expense of Haas.
“If they fight without damaging the team, I have no problem with that,” he told RTL. “Only [if they do] when they get in their car, I’ll have a problem, and then they’ll have a problem.”
Haas will be patient
Steiner knowing that both his drivers are yet to drive a single kilometre in a Grand Prix race, he has decided that the team management will be showing enough patience with both, and not pressuring them much in their rookie year.
“For me, it would be a success to have two drivers at the end of the year who have learned a lot and are ready for 2022 so that we won’t make any more mistakes,” he added.
“[You have to give rookies] the chance to develop. At the end of the year we should still have two young, but also experienced drivers. Two ‘young, experienced’ drivers should come out.”
