With Kevin Magnussen signing a multi-year contract, Haas has a vacancy for next year currently held by Mick Schumacher in his second season in Formula 1 again with the US team.
At the beginning of this week McLaren confirmed that Daniel Ricciardo will leave the team at the end of 2022 and this makes the Australian driver a valuable piece of the market, however Gunther Steiner immediately wanted to throw water on the fire, underlining how wrong it is at the moment to make assumptions about who may be of interest to Haas for 2023.
“We all know who is on the market and it is useless to ask me for the next 15 minutes if I have talked to this or that rider. I speak to everyone “.
“Everyone assumes that Mick will no longer race with us next year, but that’s not true. Everything is still open ”.
“We haven’t decided what to do yet. We are talking, we are discussing and informing. This is my duty towards both the team and the team owner ”.
Steiner then confirmed that Gene Haas will be present at the next two events in Zandvoort and Monza, thus having the opportunity to personally discuss all the options available for 2023.
The Haas team principal also highlighted that the team will not look for a rookie driver if he decides to replace Mick Schumacher and that the salary will not depend on the budget that the newcomer will bring as a dowry.
Steiner then wanted to reiterate how Ferrari, Haas’ technical partner, has no say in the choice of the driver to work alongside Magnussen.
Ricciardo has few options to continue racing in Formula 1 next year and has already made it clear that he would rather take a sabbatical than compete in another category.
Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Steiner admitted that he had spoken with Ricciardo via messages in the past few weeks, but stressed how wrong it is to think that Haas has slammed the Australian only because he is free from contractual obligations.
“Everyone thinks that now that Daniel is available we should take him, but why do you think he left McLaren. We have to be careful. It is not just about what we have done, but also about what we will be able to do ”.
Former Alfa Romeo Sauber driver Antonio Giovinazzi will take part in two free practice sessions at the wheel of the Haas during this second half of the season.
Steiner stated that the Giovinazzi management agreement was agreed with Ferrari and that the name of the Italian driver was included in the list of seat contenders for 2023 in consideration of the fact that Antonio is in possession of the super license.
Haas team principal then addressed Mick Schumacher. The German managed to get his first points in Formula 1 this season by finishing eighth at Silverstone and then finishing sixth in Austria a week later.
“Mick has been doing well in the last run before the summer break and he doesn’t need to hear what needs to be done to keep his job. If he continues to perform well we will be fine ”.
“He knows and I don’t need to tell him. He is a driver and he knows what every driver has to do in a team. He has to do his job ”.
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