Haas team boss Guenther Steiner believes that F1's front-runners will enjoy an even bigger advantage over the mid-field teams at the start of 2019, despite the introduction of new regulations.
Several changes to F1's aero rules will see the teams' new designs integrate a simpler front wing and a wider, deeper rear wing.
The changes are destined to promote closer racing by facilitating overtaking, but Steiner thinks that Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull will remain well ahead of the field, at least at the start of the season.
"Absolutely, that risk (of the top teams retaining a big advantage) is always there," said Steiner, as quoted by RaceFans.net.
"But with the gap this big, it should (be), and couldn't be any different.
"Because this is good people working at a high level and if they've got this more resources they should be doing better than the other ones, otherwise they're doing something wrong.
"So I think in the beginning the gap should be bigger between the big ones and the smaller ones because there's just so many more resources to get there. And they have more resources, they get even quicker."
Haas concluded its third year in F1 in fifth position after fighting Renault for the honorary title of 'best of the rest'.
However, the US outfit threw away some good points following some self-inflicted mistakes and mishaps which Kevin Magnussen described as a "headwind" in 2019.
"This year has felt like a lot of things that could go wrong did go wrong," said the Dane who will embark on his third season with Haas in 2019.
"It’s one of those where the wind is always a headwind, you know. I’m hoping for a bit of tailwind next year.
"That’s the thing, you have to take the blame for those things. Because you can always, no matter what the situation, have done something different.
"Although it might have been a very tricky situation you can always look at it and see something you could have done better. That’s what we’ll do and try and put ourselves in a better situation next year.
"I am hoping we will have a bit more tailwind. And let’s say tailwind, rather than luck."
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