Guenther Steiner has downplayed the change that has allowed the Haas F1 Team to be involved in Formula 1’s Strategy Group, feeling that the pre-existing teams have welcomed them into the fold.
Previously, the Strategy Group comprised of just six members from the Formula 1 grid – the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team, Scuderia Ferrari, Red Bull Racing, the McLaren Honda Formula 1 Team, Williams Martini Racing and the Sahara Force India F1 Team – but now Haas, the Sauber F1 Team, Scuderia Toro Rosso and the Renault Sport Formula 1 Team, have now become involved.
Formula 1’s Sporting Managing Director Ross Brawn requested the change, but Haas Team Principal Steiner says that the team was shown respect from all members in their first meeting.
“It was the first one we were allowed in. There is not a big change for us that they allowed us in there,” said Steiner on crash.net.
“We were always told afterwards in the F1 Commission what was said, but everybody was very open. There was no animosity, ‘what were these guys doing here?’
“We are just four people to the other six. It’s not like all of a sudden there’s 20 times the people, there’s four people there and we know each other pretty well so there was no big change.
“Everybody was happy because we were treated with respect and didn’t try to run the show.”
