Taking the fight to Williams the 'best' Haas can hope for in F1 2021

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has admitted taking the fight to Williams is the best it can do in 2021 as it switches its focus to the 2022 Formula 1 season.

Haas left the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix as the slowest team, with Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin qualifying 19th and 20th.

Mazepin retired on the opening lap following a dramatic spin on the exit of Turn 2, while Schumacher recovered from a spin of his own to finish 15th. 

Assessing Haas' chances for the rest of the season, Steiner believes fighting Williams is the best it can achieve in 2021.

“I would say if we can take the fight to Williams, that’s about it, what we can [do]. I’m very realistic about it. 

“We are not putting any effort in to do anything more than that. 

“I think the biggest amount that we can get out of the car, to get our drivers prepared, or get them prepared better, just get them experienced, that’s what we want to do so they are ready for when we have a better car. That is just how our plan is for this year.”

Steiner already confirmed ahead of the weekend in Bahrain that Haas will be introducing the “last step” of its 2021 car development programme at Imola next weekend.

The American outfit has already switched its full attention to 2022 as F1 introduces its new regulations. 

Next up for the F1 circus is a return to Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on April 18.