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Steiner believes there will still be a big gap between mid-field and front-runners

09:47, 27 Dec 2018

byBevan Youl

Haas team boss Guenther Steiner has said that he believes Formula 1’s top teams will have a bigger advantage over mid-field teams despite new regulations.

There have been changes made to aerodynamics rules for 2019 to allow for closer racing. The front wing has been simplified and the rear wing made deeper and wider.

But the Haas boss still feels Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull will have an advantage.

"Absolutely, that risk (of the top teams retaining a big advantage) is always there," said Steiner, as quoted by f1i.com.

"But with the gap this big, it should (be), and couldn't be any different.”

"Because this is good people working at a high level and if they've got this more resources they should be doing better than the other ones, otherwise they're doing something wrong.”

"So I think in the beginning the gap should be bigger between the big ones and the smaller ones because there's just so many more resources to get there. And they have more resources, they get even quicker."

Haas finished 2018 in fifth behind Renault but threw away points opportunities through mistakes that Kevin Magnussen described as a ‘headwind.’

"This year has felt like a lot of things that could go wrong did go wrong," said Magnussen.

"It’s one of those where the wind is always a headwind, you know. I’m hoping for a bit of tailwind next year.”