Sauber questions Haas model

Sauber team principal Monisha Kaltenborn has expressed reserves about Haas’ model in Formula One and how it might diminish the ‘constructor’ status of other teams.

The US squad has entered the sport on the back of a close tie-up with Ferrari, which sees Haas buy many components from the Italian outfit and have access to its windtunnel. The American team has enjoyed a strong start to life in F1 with three top-10 finishes in five races and 22 points already on the board.

Meanwhile, fellow Ferrari-powered team Sauber has yet to score and is currently facing financial harship. Although Kaltenborn is quick to praise Haas’ achievements, she is unsure about the scope of its technical association with Maranello.

“I would not want to comment on any other team without knowing all the details, the Sauber team boss told the official Formula 1 website. “We on the outside see a bit - and whatever it is they are doing a good job. A very remarkable job.

“At the same time whatever one knows about it from the outside, there are certain ways which we don’t think are the right way.

“We do believe that it is essential for Formula One that a team turns up as a constructor. You could argue about what that exactly is - but I think that some things should be done on one’s own that makes Formula One…

Pressed to define what being an F1 constructor entails, Kaltenborn added: “I don’t want to go down into all the details, but what you have to make sure of is that the engineering challenge that Formula One should be is there. That is what made the sport not too many years ago very exciting. Look at our own history!

“There must be things where you can show how much smarter you are than the rest - and the constructor definition gave you not only the obligation, but also a certain degree of liberty to grow your own ideas.

“Now most things are already determined - yes, like the power unit. So many things are given already, so the areas where you can have your own innovative approach and the engineering challenge are already less.

“So in the end there is no easy recipe and no straight line to draw. I think we have to bring back that engineering challenge.”

The Haas/Ferrari partnership came under scrutiny from the FIA at the end of last year. F1’s governing body eventually both entities but also moved to close off loopholes that could have been exploited by others.

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