Haas boss Gunther Steiner insists that Ferrari’s closer ties to the former Sauber team make no difference to his Formula 1 outfit.
Sauber has been renamed Alfa Romeo as part of a major push by the Italian car manufacturer to increase its brand presences in F1.
The move also suggests that Alfa Romeo will forge closer technical ties with Ferrari in the future that extend beyond the customer relationship that Haas enjoys.
While this could lead to Haas being moved down the pecking order when it comes to Ferrari’s priorities, Steiner is clear that he sees no reason for his working relationship with Maranello to change.
“We have got a very solid relationship with them, technically, humanly, and financially,” he said about how things were with Ferrari.
“It is very solid. They respect us, we respect them, and we collaborate very well.
“What they do with Sauber and with Alfa Romeo is none of my business. They know that I respect that fully.
“I don’t interfere. As long as we get what they promise and what they gave us [before], then I am happy. What they do otherwise, so it be.
“I am not critical or anything, and I don’t really care what they do with them as long as we do as we always do, and we do. So I am happy.”
Steiner said that the terms of his team’s partnership with Ferrari remained unchanged, with his outfit buying as many parts as the regulations allow.
“What we get from them, we are very happy with,” he said. “We don’t have any negatives.
“As I said before, I have no influence on what they do and I don’t want to have, because it is not my business what they do with their business.
“I don’t feel I am in a position to tell Ferrari what to do. As long as we are doing what we always did with them, and what we continue to do, and they actually do it, I am happy.
“What they do with Alfa, I have no influence and do not want to have any influence because we are happy what we get from them and it is all good. I don’t even ask questions to them about Alfa Romeo because it is none of my business.”
Romain Grosjean, Haas F1 Team, Guenther Steiner, Team Principal, Haas F1 and Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images
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