Guenther Steiner, speaking on the Drive to Wynn podcast, underlined the importance of Ferrari producing a strong car for the 2026 regulations.

He suggested the team’s 2026 performance could influence Lewis Hamilton’s decision on whether to continue racing beyond next season, after Hamilton called his current campaign his worst yet.

Steiner said Hamilton never preferred ground-effect cars and described the coming regulations as a new opportunity. He added that if Hamilton it does not work in 2026, he may not wish to race in 2027.

He also added Hamilton appears frustrated during the final races of the ground-effect era. Referring to Hamilton’s 20th-place qualifying and 10th-place finish in Las Vegas, he noted the seven-time world champion called it one of the most meaningless points he has scored.

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu expressed his opposition to what he described as artificial limits imposed by Pirelli ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix.

Speaking during the Las Vegas GP weekend, he argued that the mandatory tyre usage cap set at a maximum of 25 laps per compound makes a one-stop strategy impossible and will negatively affect the race.

The Japanese team principal suggested Pirelli introduced the measure out of caution after last year’s event. He said he disagreed with manipulating race strategies and cited Monaco and the 2023 Qatar GP as examples of artificial outcomes.

Komatsu pointed to the Brazil and Mexico Grands Prix as proof that varied strategies can naturally create excitement. The upcoming Qatar race will enforce the mandatory pitstop rule, with Pirelli attributing it to tyre wear concerns.

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