Haas may cut ties with Ferrucci upon IndyCar move

Haas Formula 1 chief Günther Steiner says the team may look to cut ties with current development driver Santino Ferrucci if the American completes his anticipated full-time move into IndyCar for 2019.

Ferrucci joined Haas’ development scheme upon the team’s entry to F1 in 2016, balancing commitments with race programmes in GP3 and, most recently, Formula 2.

Ferrucci sparked controversy earlier this year when he was handed a two-round ban from F2 for deliberately hitting his teammate, Arjun Maini, with further off-track offences leading to his Trident contract being terminated.

Haas said at the time it would continue its relationship with Ferrucci, but team boss Steiner has now said it may look to cut ties given his step towards a move into IndyCar for 2019.

“I think Santino is trying to go IndyCar racing, and if he goes IndyCar racing, I don’t think there is a lot of sense to keep him on as a development driver,” Steiner said.

“I think then he has picked his career path. But we haven’t discussed it internally, so we don’t know what we are doing.”

Ferrucci made his IndyCar debut in Detroit earlier this year with Dale Coyne Racing, and rejoined the team for the final two rounds of the season, recording a best finish of 11th at Sonoma.

Ferrucci is now reportedly set to sign a full-season deal for Dale Coyne’s eponymous team to partner Sebastien Bourdais in 2019.