Gunther Steiner: Montreal is a positive place

Before the start of the Canadian weekend, Haas F1 boss Gunther Steiner summed up the weekend in Baku and talked about plans for the Montreal stage…

Q: The impression was that in Baku you could not realize the full potential of the VF-22. Tell me about it…
Gunther Steiner: We were surprised by the good shape of the car in the race – until the power plant went down, Kevin was fighting for points. On Friday we started the weekend on the wrong foot, a little out of shape, but on Saturday we found the right settings.

The rival cars were more efficient with low downforce settings, so we had the hardest time on the straights. If qualifying hadn’t been interrupted by red and yellow flags, the race could have been better, but before the technical problems set in we were close to earning points. The weekend went well, but I’m not happy that we had another technical meeting.

Q: For the first time in the past three years we are going to Canada. What do you like about Montreal, what are your best memories? Maybe it’s worth bringing back the famous raft crew race?
Gunther Steiner: It’s always nice to come back to Canada. And Canadians love it when we come. This is a great weekend for them and for us. This Grand Prix is ​​always surrounded by a positive atmosphere, and overall it is a very good place.

When it comes to rafting, teams simply don’t have time for these types of events these days. Too bad, but we have to move with the times.

Q: The Canadian circuit combines elements of an urban and stationary circuit, but on uneven road surfaces, the teams will again have to deal with the build-up of cars…
Gunther Steiner: Manifestation of build-up largely depends on the characteristics of the track. In Barcelona it seemed that everyone had solved the problem, but in Baku it happened again. I don’t know what to expect in Montreal, but in Formula 1, there are enough smart engineers, sooner or later the situation will be brought under control.

We hardly have any problems with build-up. We have it less than some teams and a little more than others. On every track we find settings that allow drivers to feel more or less comfortable without losing the speed of the car. A compromise is needed here. Who needs a comfortable but slow car?

Let’s see what the situation will be in the first training. The Canadian track is bumpy, which will only exacerbate the problem. But let’s wait for the first workout.

Q: Now everyone is talking about a possible increase in budget constraints. What is the position of your team?
Gunther Steiner: This is due to high inflation around the world, but I think each team should solve its own problems. It’s hard, but we’ve learned to work on a tight budget. We have to cut costs. I’m sure we’ll be able to compete in all the races this season and save money on something else.