Haas team principal Guenther Steiner believes the team has made a major breakthrough with its new front wing ahead of their home race.
Both Haas drivers qualified inside the top ten in the last race at Suzuka which the team credited to an improved set-up for a new front wing which was introduced earlier in the season.
“I think it was very significant,” said Steiner when asked about the front wing upgrade.
“The delay in getting it to work is like when you are at a grand prix and you have problems in FP1 and FP2 – you focus on trying to find out what the tyre is doing and the data on the tyre and basic things. You cannot develop a new part on the car.”
“We had problems in FP1 and FP2 in Singapore and Malaysia, so we didn’t do a good job of finding out about the wing. But in Japan, we had good practice sessions and, sure enough, the wing came alive in Japan.”
Although both drivers reached Q3 in Japan neither was able to bring the car home in the points. “Normally if you start in a good position it’s much easier to manage the race because you are in front,” said Steiner. “In Suzuka, we didn’t expect the hard and medium tyre to last as long as they lasted.”
“We had to do a two-stop strategy anyway because we started on soft tyres. We were the closest cars to Williams in speed, but we weren’t sure if they could get it done with a one-stop, but they easily did it. They ended up in front of us. The track improved and they made the tyres last, so we ended up 11th, again.”
America “deserves more F1 races”
Formula One’s new American owners Liberty Media is keen to increase the number of rounds in the USA and Steiner said he supports the move.
“I would like to see more Formula One races – plural,” he said. “If you look at the United States, it is still the biggest economy in the world. F1 is one of the biggest global sports. The United States deserve more F1 races.”
Steiner said further rounds in the USA would not detract from the current race at the Circuit of the Americas, which is being held for the fifth time this year.
“It would not, in my opinion,” he said. “It would mean a greater presence. It would mean more races at a decent time in the United States and not at two o’clock in the morning.”
“I think that would help. I think another race would reinforce the one in Austin.”
PorscheF1 (@xtwl)
18th October 2016, 12:48
After we have a race on Antarctica let’s face the “shortage” of races in the American continent. America has five big countries being Brazil, Mexico, Canada, The States and Argentina. Four of those have a GP. I reckon that’s plenty.
pastaman (@)
18th October 2016, 13:14
They are targeting the US, not the Americas. Compare the land mass of the US to Europe, and how many races there are in Europe in the same relative area of space. And of course, as the article mentions, the completely untapped potential of the US economy.
Todfod (@todfod)
18th October 2016, 17:26
It’s not about land mass though is it? We should be having many more races in Russia, China and South America by that logic. It’s all about the number of viewers and fans in a country, and Europe probably has 10 times more viewership than US
ACx
18th October 2016, 20:03
No, its about markets, and the US is sort of equivalent to Europe. No, the Us doesn’t “deserve” more races, F1 “deserves” more access to US dollars.
socksolid (@socksolid)
18th October 2016, 23:13
But the point in having more races in the usa is to increase the number of viewers there.
ram
19th October 2016, 17:32
Tell Mexico, Brazil ,Canada, and Argentina they are part of America and I think They will disagree with you.
Jerejj
18th October 2016, 13:04
Yeah, but only two races max. in one country within a season, not more, but there’s already three races in North America, so that’s enough for now.
dbHenry
18th October 2016, 15:54
And how many races are there in Europe?
I believe the America reference is referring to the United States of America.
Jerejj
18th October 2016, 20:26
My point is: ‘Only two races max. in one country within a season, not more.’ and that applies to the USA as well, not just other countries.
Andy (@andybantam)
19th October 2016, 16:58
The United States of America is one nation. Hawaii excepted, maybe Alaska. But they are separate states, none the less.
Europe is not one nation. It’s many, many nations.
Analyzing the national identity of Germany, Italy, France, Spain et al, is not the same as the as analyzing the national identity of people living within seperate state borders in the US.
People in America usually consider themselves as American. People in Europe consider themselves German, Italian, French, Spanish etc etc…
Robert (@)
18th October 2016, 13:28
Why is there an obsession with adding more US rounds? They have one and that is plenty enough. Also, F1 doesn’t need America and America doesn’t need F1, it has always been like this so they need to stop pretending that they need a greater presence in America because they just don’t.
Nicholas Sylvain (@heartbreakridge)
18th October 2016, 13:53
I don’t think the F1 moneymen would be so blase about leaving money on the table, hence their comments about the relatively untapped US market already. A second race would be a critical part of getting more money from the US market, so I’d say in the long term a second race is a done deal. Watkins Glen here we come :)
Gunner22
18th October 2016, 13:54
I understand the USA is the largest potential for new revenue, but I don’t feel there is the interest. Interest in racing and autos in general are wavering. I am the only one in my office or circle of friends that has any interest or knowledge of F1. If I bring it up I usually get blank stares or questions about Indy. How about we just get a circuit in a financial situation where we aren’t questioning if next year’s grand prix will happen. I think the best move would be to adjust the schedule of the Austin race. Move it out of the fall when it is competing against football and playoff baseball. Have it before or after Canada in the summer, baseball is still months from completion and football isn’t even close to preseason. Nascar runs into the same thing. The playoff system is pushed onto pay TV due to conflicts with football and baseball coverage. Nascar is doing a lot of positive adjustments to their technical rules for better racing and viewership is still falling. I don’t see F1 bucking the trend.
pastaman (@)
18th October 2016, 15:48
You need to take the long term view. Football (soccer) here is slowly growing in popularity, and in 20 years it’s not unthinkable that the US could make a decent run for the World Cup. In order to grow the market, you need to grow the market. You are right, the US will not magically start to like F1, but if you don’t grow the culture it will certainly never happen. Having a US team and a race is a good start. Having a US team with several US races and a US world champion driver is when you start to rake in the money. All it takes is a tipping point where investors and advertisers realize they can make money, and the US marketing machine will take over from there.
Gunner22
18th October 2016, 16:37
I agree with most of what you said. Having a US based team will help and your opinion on several US races would be great, but I’m worried by the past failings to find suitable venues and the fragile state of CotA already to keep its schedule spot. It takes money to make money, however Junior Johnson has been quoted ” The best way to make a small fortune in racing is to start with a big one.” Is that kind of backing out there?
BasCB (@bascb)
18th October 2016, 17:08
I don’t think the issue was with finding suitable venues as such Gunner22. The issue is with the exhorbitant prices Bernie asks of them (and pay upfront and guarantee for a couple of years) that make it a hard ask even if the track is fully prepared.
CotA had a lot of money going into the construction and while they do get some support (the tax return thing, is that still in place? Or did they lose that because of low attendance last year), running the track and paying for the FOM fees is not easy with the unstable visitor numbers the track has had.
dbHenry
18th October 2016, 16:00
I am in the same situation with my circle of friends and my coworkers. They don’t get F1, and the ones that do show interest have lost it due to 1 team being so dominant. That makes it hard to sell, but it’s F1.
DaveBanchero (@mfdb)
18th October 2016, 16:06
It’s too hot in TX for the summer. Maybe early in April/May.
Jerejj
18th October 2016, 20:31
@mfdb June is on the edge of whether Austin in that month is too hot for F1 or not, but at least it isn’t as bad as Bahrain or Abu Dhabi, for example, at that time of year, so perhaps the US GP at the current venue could work in June as well.
David Not Coulthard (@davidnotcoulthard)
18th October 2016, 17:42
Thanks to haas’ cooperation with Ferrari, they now sound a lot like Ferrar even off-track.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
18th October 2016, 18:45
@davidnotcoulthard – LOL 😂. Now that explains Grosjean moaning over the radio.
Roth Man (@rdotquestionmark)
18th October 2016, 18:01
America ‘deserves’ more than one race because it has money. Sound moral F1 logic. Personally I’d rather see countries passionate about F1 get more or even 1 race. I really couldn’t care less about how much money F1’s corrupt owners bring in for themselves. Hopefully Liberty Media aren’t asset strippers like CVC.
PDeFalco (@defalco)
18th October 2016, 18:52
Perhaps we (the U.S.) don’t ”deserve” more races, but having been introduced to F1 at the Long Beach GP in 1981, I think it’s a shame F1 hasn’t established any lasting traditions here in the years since. Long Beach still has a big race weekend every spring, making the ”European” GP street circuit at Baku look like a ghost town.
COTA is a beautiful circuit, but it requires air travel or a significant drive for anyone outside central Texas to attend. (22+ hours drive from the west coast.) F1 hasn’t made it easy to be a fan in the states, and I am not holding my breath for Liberty Media (ugh) to get it right, but I do believe the fans are here.
LovelyLovelyLuffield
19th October 2016, 8:17
US East and US West. Rotation hosting. There you go!