Haas likely to retain Magnussen and Hulkenberg for 2024

40

Guenther says Haas is "pretty happy" with its current driver line-up comprised of Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg and will likely continue with the duo in 2024.

Ahead of the start of the season, Haas opted to prioritize experience versus youth by replacing Mick Schumacher with Hulkenberg, a veteran of 188 Grand Prix starts.

Magnussen – who returned to the fray just days ahead of the start of 2022 as a result of Nikita Mazepin exit from the team – was retained after a productive 2022 campaign with the US outfit.

Steiner is entirely satisfied with the team's Danish-German duo.

©Haas

"Driver market-wise, I think we are in the moment where we are pretty happy with what we have got," said the Haas team principal ahead of this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix.

"Obviously we want to get to announce our drivers as soon as possible so we don't have to hang around like last year, a long time, telling you guys it'll be next race and then it gets boring!"

Read also: Haas taps Fittipaldi for Pirelli tyre test at Silverstone

Regarding the team's stability for 2024, Steiner was asked if Ferrari's disappointing performance this season was a cause for concern for Haas which enjoys an engine supply deal and a technical partnership with the Scuderia,

"On the Ferrari side, I think in the short to medium term there's no point to change," said the Italian.

"Just because you've got a year like this, it doesn't mean that you immediately have to jump to someone else."

Like Ferrari, Haas' main weakness this season has been the excessive tyre degradation of its VF-23, a problem that Hulkenberg has been very vocal about.

Steiner said that the team's engineers are working hard to try and solve the issue which has often undermined the drivers' efforts on race day.

"Nico was very outspoken about the problem and what I like is that with the problem we speak about it openly," he said.

"There is no trying to hide, it's very open. Everybody's like, 'Hey, let's try to find out what we can do to find out more what is happening'."

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.