F1 News
Guenther Steiner won't sign a rookie: "It wouldn't help us"
It is still uncertain as to who will be racing for Haas next year, however, Guenther Steiner has ruled out using a rookie as a replacement for either Kevin Magnussen or Romain Grosjean. Something needs to change at Haas and it is clear that their two drivers do not respect each other enough on the track. Steiner will hope to bring in someone who can consistently get points for the team.
“These decisions are actually very difficult to make," Steiner said to the official F1 website. "It’s an opportunity but it comes at a high-risk rate, so it’s more like as a team we could do it, but do we want to do it? Because I think again this year if we had two rookies or a rookie, it wouldn’t help us, because we are a little bit lost where we are with the tyres and a rookie doesn’t help you.”
Sitting in waiting is Ferrari academy driver Pietro Fittipaldi who is Haas' r"eserve driver, however, he is still yet to drive for the team.
“For us it’s difficult, otherwise we’d do it for him… ” said Steiner of getting Fittipaldi more track time. “We need both drivers [Grosjean and Magnussen] to be testing the car as much as possible. Our focus is still not to be ninth in the championship, we need to be better, so I cannot promise anything to Pietro."
It will be interesting to see who ends up in the Haas seats next year and if any change is made at all. However, given the success of a number of rookie drivers this season, it seems strange for Steiner to be so reluctant to use Fittipaldi.