Schumacher: Haas close to F1 podium on 'crazy' weekends

Mick Schumacher reckons Haas can get close to a podium finish with its 2022 car on "crazy" weekends such as the one enjoyed by the team in Bahrain.

The US outfit had an impressive opening round of racing at Sakhir, with Haas returnee finishing a remarkable P5 while Schumacher concluded his race just outside of the top-ten.

The result was no fluke for Magnussen who qualified seventh and was heading home in Sunday's race in the same position until Red Bull's double DNF in the closing stages of the races elevated the Dane to fifth.

Schumacher, who qualified 12th could have perhaps achieved a better result had he not been punted into a spin on the opening lap by Alpine's Esteban Ocon.

"With all the circumstances that we had with the spin in Turn 6 after contact – I don’t know how much damage that would’ve brought to the car – it didn’t feel amazing to drive afterwards," explained the young German, now in his second year in F1.

"I think that was also represented in the pace we had.

“Seeing Kevin in P5 means that we have the car to do this, and that I can do the same.

"That also means we’re close to podiums if there’s a crazy weekend, which there usually is in Formula 1, so we should be able to do that."

• Read also: Steiner convinced there's 'more to come' from Magnussen

After a promising first three of seasons in F1 after it joined the grid in 2015, Haas gradually slid out of contention and into the lower tier of the midfield, the team desperately trying to hang on in 2020 and 2021 in the face of adversity.

The team sacrificed its 2021 campaign to prepare diligently for 2022, and it looks like its efforts have paid off.

"The last two years, we had to get by - now we are back," said team boss Guenther Steiner.

"So for sure it’s special, because everybody had lost the trust in a very short period of time.

"I mean in '18, to finish fifth and feel good, then in '19 with the bad car, people lost completely the trust. [They said] the team is for sale, the team is whatever. We're still here and we are back now."

For Haas, getting back on track is already an outstanding achievement. But can the US outfit hold its own in the upper part of F1's midfield?

"Alfa Romeo is very strong as well," said Steiner. "So I don't take it easy now that we are where we are.

"We need to work out and keep on improving the car. Also, with upgrades later on in the year. That is what we are doing.

"But I'm pretty sure that we’ll keep on scoring points."

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