Haas not taking risk on rookie for 2020

Guenther Steiner says it is unlikely that Haas will recruit a rookie driver ahead of the 2020 Formula 1 campaign should Romain Grosjean or Kevin Magnussen leave, as it would be a risky move when the team is performing poorly.

It hasn’t been a vintage season for the American outfit, as not only are they second-last in the constructors’ championship, but they have had to contend with numerous on-track spats between their two drivers Grosjean and Magnussen, with them actually colliding more than once.

With form so poor, speculation is mounting that Grosjean in particular could be shown the door, but if he is, Steiner claims they won’t try and recruit any young wonderkids.

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"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?” he asked.

"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”

However, Steiner does point to McLaren as a team who have taken such a risk and for it to pay off, after they brought in rookie driver Lando Norris to partner Carlos Sainz for the 2019 season.

"This year I would say McLaren took the risk and did it very good," he added.

"Lando is doing a good job, I think he’s very fast - but it can go wrong as well, and then it’s difficult to get out of that mess."

Should they go for a younger driver, it is likely that they would give reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi the opportunity to impress.

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