Steiner: British Grand Prix will bring "no joy" for Ferrari-powered Haas
Haas Formula 1 boss Gunther Steiner says the power demands of Silverstone mean the British Grand Prix will bring "no joy" to his Ferrari-powered team
With the American-owned outfit's Ferrari power units a less potent force than in 2019 following a private settlement between the FIA and Ferrari, Haas drivers Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen have been fighting towards the back of the midfield pack.
Neither driver has qualified better than 15th in the opening triple-header at the Red Bull Ring and Hungaroring.
However, the team's decision to stop for slick tyres after the formation lap in Hungary helped it to finish in the points for the first time this year as Kevin Magnussen crossed the line ninth - although he was subsequently punished for a breach of the regulations and demoted one place to tenth.
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Well aware of how much it is suffering on the straights this year, Steiner is bracing himself for a tough time over the next two weeks as F1 moves to the ultra-fast Silverstone circuit.
"We know it is very power sensitive Silverstone," explained Steiner.
"So there will be no joy."
Steiner thinks that Haas is currently locked in a battle at the back of the field with Alfa Romeo and Williams - and says its form will fluctuate depending on track characteristics.
"We are all mixing it up and I think it's a little bit track depending who is on top of it: is it high speed, is it low speed?" he said, when asked about the competitive situation between Haas, Alfa Romeo and Williams.
"There's a little bit of difference but I think we are in the midst of the teams you just mentioned."
He added that Haas' potential struggles on power tracks means it needs to seize every available opportunity to punch above its weight if it is to improve on its ninth place finish in the constructors' championship last season.
"It's fairly difficult for us to get points at the moment, and especially some of the races which are coming up, they're not in our favour," Steiner said.
"We always try to do our best and maybe we can find some opportunity like we get [in Hungary], you never know.
"If you give up you never find the opportunity, so you need to keep on trying to find something.
"But you don't expect it."
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