Haas’ Guenther Steiner: “There’s a lot of competition within a few tenths”

Guenther Steiner says the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team will go into this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix looking to do their very best, but much like the rest of the current FIA Formula 1 World Championship season, it is difficult to predict where they’ll be in relation to the other teams in the intense midfield battle.

Haas have had a fluctuating season so far in 2023, with Nico Hülkenberg having scored six points and Kevin Magnussen two points in the opening seven races, with the team sitting seventh in the Constructors’ Championship.

Steiner, the Team Principal at Haas, says the midfield battle so far in 2023 has been extremely close, and it is difficult to predict from one weekend to the next where they will ‘stack up’ against their rivals.

“Like always this season, we don’t really know where we stack up, going from race to race, it’s difficult to predict,” said Steiner.  “We’re not only predicting ourselves but we also have to predict our opponents as everything is so close, there’s a lot of competition within a few tenths.

“We need to go Montreal, do our best and work on our race pace, which was not where we wanted it to be in Spain.”

Steiner says the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a fan favourite and one he always enjoys attending, but he knows it is far from ideal that the trip to North America sits amongst the European part of the season.

“For the team, it’s in the middle of the ‘European season’ but for me, it’s not actually a flyaway race because it’s one of the closest races to get to,” he said.  “With Canada, it’s difficult to find a date when it’s not snowing and not in the middle of the European races, as you can’t do it before we start to race in Europe as there’s always a chance it’s still snowing or at least cold there. 

“The Canadian Grand Prix is a great event, the fans always enjoy it and they’re very good fans there, I’m really looking forward to it.”