Alfa Romeo-Ferrari ties have ‘no effect’ on Haas F1 team

Haas boss Gunther Steiner insists Ferrari’s increasingly closer ties to the rebranded Alfa Romeo squad has no effect on his Formula 1 team. 

Sauber has been renamed Alfa Romeo Racing for the upcoming 2019 season after the Italian car manufacturer increased its involvement in F1, having struck up a title sponsor partnership with the Swiss squad last year. 

While the move strengthens the relationship between Alfa Romeo and Ferrari, fellow Ferrari-powered outfit Haas is not concerned by suggestions it could lose out in its own far-reaching collaboration with the Scuderia. 

Asked if the changes had affected Haas at all, Steiner said: “No. Absolutely not. 

“It’s a question a lot of people ask me, but we’ve got a very solid relationship with them, technically, humanly, financially,” he added. 

“They respect us and we respect them. We collaborate very well. What they do with Alfa Romeo is none of my business, and they know that I respect that fully, I don’t interfere. 

“As long as we get what they promised and what they gave us – and they do – I’m happy. What they do otherwise, so it be. 

“I’m not critical or anything, and I don’t really care actually what they do with them, as long as we do what we always do, and we do. So I’m happy.”

Haas’ low cost business model approach and technical ties to Ferrari helped the American squad secure fifth place in last season’s constructors’ championship, marking its best result since entering F1 in 2016.

“What we get from them we are very happy with – we didn’t have any negatives,” Steiner explained. 

“As I said before, I have no influence on what they do and I don’t want to have because it’s not my business with what they do with their business. 

“I don’t feel in a position to tell them what to do. As long as they always do what we do with them and they continue to do, and they actually do, then I’m happy. 

“What they do with Alfa, I have no influence and do not want to have any influence because we are happy with what we get from them. It’s all good. I don’t even ask them questions about Alfa Romeo because it’s none of my business.” 

The revitalised Sauber squad finished eighth last year and will field a new line-up consisting of ex-Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen and Scuderia protege Antonio Giovinazzi.