F1 News: Haas Boss Slams Andretti's Plan To Join Grid In 2026

Guenther Steiner cannot see the benefit of bringing another team on.

Haas F1 Team Principal, Guenther Steiner, recently expressed his concerns about the potential entry of Andretti into the Formula 1 grid. 

In a statement to Sky Sports F1, Steiner mentioned that adding another team to the sport would bring "no benefit" and only pose risks. The American racing team Andretti announced their plans to join Formula 1 in 2026 after partnering with General Motors and Cadillac last month.

Steiner mentioned that Haas, who are currently the only American team on the F1 grid, are against the entry of Andretti as there is "just risk, no benefit" from adding another team to the grid. The arrival of Andretti into the sport also needs approval from both the FIA, who welcomed the entry, and Formula 1 themselves, along with the approval of the other teams.

Andretti has admitted that they currently have the support of only two teams, McLaren and Alpine, as their allies in their bid to join the sport. The team's arrival to Formula 1 as an "all-American team" has been met with both excitement and skepticism.

Steiner's comments raise questions about the impact that the entry of another team would have on the current grid and the sport as a whole. It's important to consider the financial and operational aspects of adding another team and ensure that it does not negatively affect the current teams and the stability of the sport.

The Haas team chief explained to Sky Sports F1:

"What upside is it bringing? There is just risk, no benefit.

"Five years ago, you could get teams for nothing, you could pick it up. Nobody wanted them and they went out of business.

"Now, all of a sudden, everybody wants a team. But it's a lot of people that want to come in and the 10 teams which are here are all financially stable, all well set up. It's a very good environment at the moment, no one is struggling.

"If you put an 11th team in and we get a little bit of a dip in the economy or something all of a sudden maybe people are maybe struggling to survive.

"Why take that risk if there is no upside? It's not up to me to decide."