Gene Haas: “Buying an existing team would have been a better idea”

La American team Haas made its Formula 1 debut earlier this season, between curiosity and interest. It's been a long time since an American-style team appeared in the Circus, a sport that has never actually been among the Americans' favorites.

Expectations actually weren't particularly high, especially for a team making its debut which, however, unlike all the other small teams that had entered Formula 1 in previous years, could count on a secure budget and also one of a certain importance. Another important difference is that the Haas does not set out to be a manufacturer, taking advantage of important collaborations with Ferrari and Dallara: the former supplies the Power Unit and transmission, while the latter builds the chassis, for a car essentially made in Italy.

To also have an operational base in Europe, Haas bought the former Marussia factory in Banbury, making it the connecting point between England and the United States.

Gene Haas, however, noted that Bernie Ecclestone advised him several times to buy a team already on the grid rather than starting from the basics and building a team piece by piece: "Bernie Ecclestone always said to me 'why don't you buy an existing team?', which was actually a better idea because there were only ten teams and economically would have brought greater economic benefits” said Gene Haas.

We remember that Haas will not receive any type of financial benefit from Ecclestone this year, being in his first year in Formula 1, an "agreement" that had already been agreed between the great Formula 1 boss and the owners of the American team which would continue to exist even if they were to finish among the top ten in the constructors' standings.

"Bernie Ecclestone was probably right, because there are many advantages when you are a top ten team” concluded Gene Haas.

Gianluca D'Alessandro