Haas F1 looking for driver decision by September

[Jordan Wilkins]

The incoming Haas F1 team have already made their ambitions evidently clear thanks to their close alignment with the Ferrari team. They will receive their engines for next year, and will likely be given at least one Ferrari affiliated driver also.

There has been extensive speculation over the past month as to who will drive for Haas for their entry into F1 next season. At the moment it appears that any two of ten drivers are being considered for the race seats, with any one from current Le Mans 24 Hours winner Nico Hulkenberg to the likes of young American Alex Rossi have been linked with the race drives.

Whilst Nico Hulkenberg would be an unlikely signing, the close link Haas has with Ferrari and the current performance of Kimi Raikkonen may be enough of a carrot to entice Hulkenberg to the start up team. Recently it appears likely candidates include two current Ferrari affiliated drivers.

Both Esteban Gutierrez and Jean Eric Vergne are currently linked with Ferrari, and both also possess at least two seasons of F1 experience. This experience would be crucial to a start up team like Haas, with Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has stated he wants some experience from his driver line up. "We would like to make a decision by the end of Summer because then we can get prepared for the driver.The car needs to fit the driver."

He also added "Also we've got time to explain to our driver what we are doing because we are new and he needs to help us as well". It seems for the time being the team are keeping their options open with drivers, as they do not know who may become available before the beginning of the 2016 season.

What is currently clear is that the team are holding ongoing talks with a number of drivers, and they would wish to announce their driver line up as soon as possible to give them the most amount of time with their newly announced driver line up.

Who do you think will be driving for the Haas F1 team next season? Please give your thoughts and comments below.

 

[Philip Heck]

Either Räikkönen/Sutil or Patrick/Sutil, although she is probably too expensive going by recent comments of the Haas team.

 

[Michael Watts]

It would be nice to see another set of back-markers out on the track. Too bad F1 has such a disparity between the Top Team and everyone else. Say what you want but since 2010 its either been One Team or another that has Dominated the sport. Mercedes is pretty much guaranteed the top spot most races, and leaves everyone else fighting for the scraps. The best racing usually is for a Single Point in 10th place....Really??? I'm sure that will be Haas's goal for next year. Get that elusive 1 championship point. The way F1 is structured now the Rich get Richer and the Slow get Poorer until they close their doors.

 

[Deleted member 161052]

Wanna see Gutiérrez in next year, but I don't know what to choose for the other...

 

[Deleted member 113561]

I would like to see "Simona de Silvestro", but she has not the sponsors

 

[Dan Allen]

Either Räikkönen/Sutil or Patrick/Sutil, although she is probably too expensive going by recent comments of the Haas team.

Kimi's staying with Ferrari in 2016

 

[Philip Heck]

Kimi's staying with Ferrari in 2016

I agree, it was only a possibility

Edit: Oh now I just read the news about what you meant. lol

 

[Darth]

Sutil would be a perfect addition and within the price range.

 

[Philip Heck]

Sutil would be a perfect addition and within the price range.

Especially as they said they are looking for at least one very experienced F1 driver to help build the team.

 

[Iain McKenzie]

Smart decision to have an experienced driver. Too many rookies coming on board lately that drag a team down.

 

[Michael Watts]

Danica Patrick! Guess what, her contract with Go-Daddy is up at the end of this year.

 

[Philip Heck]

Haas said that she'd be too expensive, though. :/

 

[luis.s]

Esteban Gutierrez and Jean Eric Vergne wouldn't be a bad line-up for a new team.

If he were not to be retained by McLaren, Jenson Button is a slight possibility I guess, although I imagine he'd have to take a rather large cut in pay.

 

[Rob]

You can forget Patrick, any NASCAR driver for that matter, and most IndyCar drivers as well. That's the state of F1 right now...over-regulated. The Superlicense system is a joke, but the intent was good. Certainly better than the under-regulated NASCAR sideshow, and they are at least recognizing some issues and implementing fixes. They, at least, listen to the fans when they screw up.

Haas is in this to make money...and I predict he will stun many with his success. The moves he has already made to date are borderline brilliant (Marussia assets for cheap, Ferrari partnership, etc.). He's got more cash than God, and he delegates well, and he has the best/most expensive wind tunnel in the world. Plus he could give a rats a** about the FIA but will play nice unless things get real ugly.

So he's smart enough to know he need young and old. He will not be youth obsessed and that will be a breath of fresh air. (Good to see the most successful team in F1 come to the same conclusion re: Kimi). I thought it would be someone like Kimi or Button or maybe Hulk, but now I'm not so sure. I think the younger guy will be maybe a no name. The older guy will likely be someone in F1 now or a former driver that some team rejected for a 12 year old.

Danica? I was a fan. She simply can't handle F1. Not a chance in hell. She can drive in circles. And yes that takes more mental energy, but even 'ol Dick Trickle could smoke and talk on a cell phone while racing at Daytona. lol.

 

[Andy 'Mars Bar' Graham]

Danica Patrick! Guess what, her contract with Go-Daddy is up at the end of this year.

Danica has signed a NASCAR contract though, hasn't she?

 

[Jimlaad43]

I reckon whoever wins the Indycar championship this year will be offered the drive. It awards enough points for a super license, and will be well known in America.

Although, I don't know if Montoya would want to come back or not.

 

[Iain McKenzie]

Esteban Gutierrez and Jean Eric Vergne wouldn't be a bad line-up for a new team.

If he were not to be retained by McLaren, Jenson Button is a slight possibility I guess, although I imagine he'd have to take a rather large cut in pay.

There's no point in getting mediocre drivers like that. If you want to make a splash you need skilled competent drivers.

 

[Milos]

Jean-Eric imo is not as bad as Red Bull thought. And Sutil is a good driver too, definetly a better option than Gutierrez. I'd like to see that pairing.

 

[Rob]

I reckon whoever wins the Indycar championship this year will be offered the drive. It awards enough points for a super license, and will be well known in America.

Although, I don't know if Montoya would want to come back or not.

He doesn't. Can't blame him one bit. Most racers who want to really race know F1 isn't a driver competition. Kinda surprised Kimi stayed to be honest.

The real craziness is that drivers like Hawksworth, Newgarten, Rahal, and Andretti (and even Montoya should he not win the Championship) will not qualify. But, hey, you could always hire Esteban Ocon or Tony Kannan.

I could see a Montoya/Rossi combination, though. Not sure they are too high on Rossi, though. He does not get mentioned often and it sounds like they sort of downplay him every time his name comes up.

 

[Darth]

Esteban Gutierrez and Jean Eric Vergne wouldn't be a bad line-up for a new team.

If he were not to be retained by McLaren, Jenson Button is a slight possibility I guess, although I imagine he'd have to take a rather large cut in pay.

I don't think Button would want to race for a backmarker team ( he already does that, but
he's in a big team that was at the tail of the pack until now ) though, he'd rather try something else.