Steiner "would have f**ked the whole paddock" for points last year

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has joked he would have "f**ked the whole paddock" for points last year after Kevin Magnussen scored for the second consecutive weekend.

Haas finished as the only team not to score a point in 2021 as the outfit focused its efforts on the new era of technical regulations that came into force this year.

Since returning to the team as a last-minute replacement for Nikita Mazepin, Magnussen has been on top form and backed up his stunning drive to fifth in Bahrain with an equally impressive ninth in Saudi Arabia.

The result could have been even better for Haas had an early safety car not played into the hands of those that started on the medium tyres.

Asked if ninth was a disappointment as a result of that, Steiner told Speed City: "It is always disappointing, you always want the maximum but if you think about it, you cannot be too greedy.

"Last year, for two points, I would have f**ked the whole paddock. It's a good place to be.

"The biggest issue was that we started on a different strategy like two other cars and the safety car came out at the wrong time for us, at the most inconvenient time.

"But on the other side, you could see three cars dropped out in front of us so we are lucky with that one.

"But I think if the strategy had of worked out and the safety car wouldn't have come out, we could have been seventh."

Schumacher ready for Australia

After a horrific crash in qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Mick Schumacher was forced to sit out the race, although the German later revealed that this had been through a lack of parts and not because of an injury.

"He will be perfectly fine to race in Melbourne," added Steiner.

"The car will be ready and he will be ready as well so I don't see an issue with it."

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