F1 News: Guenther Steiner Calls Out "Ferrari Engine Saga" For Haas Performance Struggles

Guenther Steiner might have re-opened Pandora's Box for Ferrari.

Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner delved into the recent past by calling out Ferrari's "engine saga" of 2018- 2019 as the culprit for the team's performance struggles that resulted in a decline in positions in the Constructors' Standings.

Steiner was relieved of his duties as team principal a few days ago due to performance issues by team owner Gene Haas. The role has been filled by Ayao Komatsu, the team's trackside engineering director.

Delving into specifics, the former team boss openly discussed a Formula 1 incident that raised concerns about the legality of the procedure. Reports indicated that Ferrari, Haas' engine supplier, possessed one of the most potent engines in the sport during 2018 and 2019.

The Ferrari Engine Saga

There were speculations that the Maranello outfit had found a way to bypass fuel flow sensor limitations to extract additional power from their engines. Thus, the team had supposedly deviated from the FIA's regulations. 

Eventually, after suspicions arose, Scuderia Ferrari reached a private settlement with the FIA, leaving the legality of their power unit unresolved. The settlement between Ferrari and the FIA generated significant controversy, primarily due to the undisclosed details and the absence of a clear resolution regarding the legality of the matter.

Nevertheless, clarity emerged in the subsequent season as Ferrari's performance notably declined. Guenther Steiner disclosed that the potent engines that propelled Haas to a fifth-place finish in the Constructors' Standings in 2018 lost their edge the following year, leading to a drop in pace and a ninth-place finish.

When asked why Haas hadn't produced impressive results under his leadership, Steiner revealed during the Autosport International Show:

“I think we have to go back.

“When we started, finishing eighth in the first and second season, for a new team [that] never happened before. Finishing fifth in the third season, didn’t happen many times before.

“They fell back in 2019. There was a reason there as well that has to be explained – that was the Ferrari engine saga year. And people should look into that one.

That was not only on Haas. Was it the best car Haas ever had? No. But was it [worth] ninth place? No. Alfa Romeo [Ferrari’s other engine customer] that year finished eighth.

“Because if you lead off with 2018 when the team finished fifth, it was pretty good. 2018-2019, how it could’ve been with a normal engine, that wouldn’t have been ninth place [in 2019].”