Steiner: 'We don't try to achieve more than that'

The season couldn't have started worse for Haas. Nikita Mazepin crashed out after just two corners and Mick Schumacher finished in 16th place. According to team principal Guenther Steiner nothing more can be expected this season.

In Bahrain, the Haas drivers could only compete with Williams driver Nichola Latifi. George Russell was already a size too big. "If we can compete with Williams, that's about it. I'm very realistic about that. We're not going to make any effort to do more than that either," Steiner told Motorsport.com.

The American team already tempered its expectations for this season during the winter break. The focus is fully on 2022 when the rules will change significantly. For this season the team mainly wants the two rookies to gain as much experience as possible, so that in 2022 with a hopefully better car they can do more.

At the Bahrain Grand Prix, both Schumacher and Mazepin spun in the opening stages of the race, in much the same way. "Both of them went on the gas too enthusiastically and hit the kerbs. These cars have so much power and you get a kick when the torque comes in that you can't hold back."

Steiner thinks it was a good learning moment for his two new pupils. "I don't think this will happen to them again. They'll spin again, but not the way they did now."