Haas’ Guenther Steiner: “We could’ve scored points here realistically”

Guenther Steiner, the Team Principal of the Haas F1 Team, has voiced his displeasure at the race stewards decision-making as Kevin Magnussen was awarded a black-and-orange flag on the opening lap for damage sustained to his front wing. Crucially for the Haas team, the point-less finish around the Marina Bay Street Circuit has seen them fall back a place in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship Constructors’ Standings, due to Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team‘s twelve-point haul on Sunday.

Magnussen endured a tough start to his Singapore Grand Prix as contact with Max Verstappen on the opening lap resulted in his left front endplate on his front-wing coming loose. The race stewards would soon award Magnussen the black-and-orange flag, forcing the Dane into an early pit-stop, plummeting the Haas driver towards the back of the grid.

Magnussen failed to bounce back from the enforced pit-stop and would finish the race in twelfth-place. Speaking after the race, Steiner was once again left irate by the stewards decision-making.

“A disappointing race as we could’ve scored points here realistically, without dreaming of them. The incident on Lap 1 with Kevin, we lost all positions and again we received a black and orange flag, now for the third time, when there is no need for it. We have made it very clear to the FIA on the past two occasions and it’s just like you have your back against the wall.”

While a potential points finish was taken away from Magnussen in the opening laps, Mick Schumacher would face an equally similar fate with just fifteen minutes remaining in the Grand Prix.

Schumacher was able to bounce back from a tough start on the opening lap, which saw him running in fourteenth-place, to place himself inside the top ten during his second stint of the race on the Medium tyres.

Schumacher’s time in the points would come to an end on Lap Forty of the race, as contact with George Russell heading into Turn One would leave both drivers with punctures and both heading to the pits.

While a points finish evaded the Haas team in Singapore, Steiner was left content with the performance his team was able to show across the weekend in Singapore.

“Mick was very close to points, almost in it, and then he had contact with Russell and that put him out of the race for points. We showed what was possible, but we didn’t bring any points home.”

Credit: Octane Photographic Ltd