Haas refute Ferrari B-team claims

Editor

Despite using Ferrari engines and parts, the Haas F1 team insists they will not become the Scuderia's B-team.

Last year, Haas signed a multi-year agreement with Ferrari that will allow the American outfit to use Ferrari power and 'non-listed' parts.

The move has led to some suggesting that makes Haas Ferrari's B-team and that the Italian stable could even have a say in their drive line-up.

That has been denied by team principal Gunther Steiner.

"I think they [Ferrari] are for us like a good partner, which helps us to get into F1," Steiner said in an interview with Autosport.

"We didn't speak about drivers with them. There is no plan to be their B-team and to do whatever they want. That's not the plan.

"There is a very good relationship, yes, and we want to go F1 racing and we asked them if they want to be our technical partner.

"The cars will not just be yellow Ferraris, because the bodywork will be different and the chassis is different."

The former Red Bull and Jaguar man also believes Haas will enter F1 as a competitive outfit, fighting for points in their very first season.

"[The goal is] to be respectable. Qualifying lower to mid-grid…12th, 14th, something like this, and knocking on the door of points initially. Then who knows?

"We want to score as many points as possible next year – I can give you one stupid answer, I've got the freedom of one stupid answer without facts!

"We'll review those objectives every year."