Steiner stays positive: "A problem also creates new opportunities"

Formula 1 is at a complete standstill due to the ongoing corona crisis. Haas F1 team boss Guenther Steiner says in an interview with Auto, Motor und Sport that the team has been closed since 19 March. He is satisfied with the decision of the FIA to bring forward the summer break, but says that the future of the team is still uncertain.

No work in the factories

"Everything's been shut down since Australia", says Steiner. "We need to see if the world can get a grip on the coronavirus. If not, we'll certainly have to extend the closure, because there's no point in endangering people's health."

Haas will no longer have access to the wind tunnel due to the closure of the Ferrari factory. "Because Ferrari is also closed, we immediately took advantage of the early break", says Steiner. "We hadn't been in the wind tunnel before, but our designers were working on the car at the office or from the home office."

Planning is impossible

Steiner admits that in the current situation with the COVID-19 virus, it makes no sense to plan things as a Formula 1 team. "We can go through thousands of scenarios, but the fact is that nobody knows when the season is going to start. All we can do is make sure we're ready to get the best possible product going once the virus is under control. So we can have as many races as possible by the end of the year."

Haas' future

The future of Haas is uncertain. Earlier Gene Haas has already let it be known that when the team runs another bad season after five years of trial, he is not sure if he wants to continue with the project. Steiner says the question of existence arises. "But I believe you should always approach problems in a positive way. On the other hand, a problem also creates new opportunities. If we all work together, all ten teams pull together, we might even get out of this situation better. For the sport, and especially for all our employees."