Guenther Steiner feels new Formula 1 entries could dilute the sport, hinting there is no desire from the current teams to expand the grid in the future.
The FIA opened an expression of interest for new outfits to join the F1 grid in 2026, with the budding outfits ranging from established teams such as Andretti Global, Hitech and Lky Sunz.
None of the bids are yet to be given official approval by the FIA and F1, with a maximum of two new teams able to join the grid in 2026 alongside the existing 10 constructors.
“Financially, Haas would be affected, as would the other nine teams,” Steiner exclusively told Total-Motorsport.com. “But it’s not only about that, In general, for the sport, it’s a direct impact.
“The dilution, it’s also has an impact. What could happen if F1 doesn’t go the way it is now? I always go to the positives. The positives at the moment [are] F1 is very strong.
“We’ve got 10 very strong teams, they are very close together. I don’t think there’s any need to do anything different than [what] they’re doing now.”
New F1 regulations are working
Since F1 introduced its new regulations for 2022, Red Bull have dominated proceedings, winning over 75 percent of the races and are set to secure both drivers and constructors’ championships.
Max Verstappen set a new record of 10 consecutive races wins with victory at the 2023 Italian Grand Prix to surpass Sebastian Vettel. Despite the dominance, Steiner is a fan of the new regulations.
“They are working,” said Steiner. “If you go back in my interviews when they came out, I said it’s not a short-term fix.
“It’s a mid to long-term fix. Everything gets close together again, we see [in] the last [few] races McLaren went from being last [on the grid] to now finishing second. Williams is making good progress [too]. That’s down to these regulations.”
Still committed to Haas
After spells at Jaguar and Red Bull‘s NASCAR outfit, Steiner was appointed head of Haas’ F1 project in 2014, two years before the team launched its first car, the VF-16.
The longevity has made Steiner the third longest-serving team principal in the paddock, behind only Mercedes‘ Toto Wolff and Red Bull‘s Christian Horner.
“I still want to get somewhere with Haas, I want to get some success. I want to get podiums,” said Steiner. “Obviously, what you need to do this job is health, I’m partly in control of it, but not completely.
“I am not the guy who makes long-term plans. I have never been that guy who said, at this stage, as long as this is nice, I like it.
“The day I don’t like it anymore. You know what? You won’t see me anymore. You have to speak with somebody else.”
