Formula 1

F1 team principal denies midfield existence

Published

1 month ago

27/02/2023

F1 team principal denies midfield existence, citing narrowing gaps. Financial and technical regulations bring more competitiveness, and Steiner predicts further decreasing gaps between teams.

Guenther Steiner, a team principal in Formula 1, has made a statement indicating that he does not believe in the existence of a midfield in the sport.

Guenther Steiner, the team principal of Haas in Formula 1, has expressed his belief that the concept of a midfield no longer exists in the sport due to the narrowing gap between teams.

In the previous season of Formula 1, the top three teams were significantly ahead of the rest, while Alpine and McLaren occupied a distinct position behind them.

In the rest of the field, the teams were closely grouped, with only 20 points separating Alfa Romeo Sauber in sixth place and Scuderia AlphaTauri in ninth place in the constructors’ championship.

Steiner believes that the teams that follow the top three will be more evenly matched than ever before in the upcoming season of Formula 1.

During media interviews in Bahrain, which included F1Lead, Steiner explicitly stated that he does not believe there is a midfield in Formula 1 any longer.

Steiner maintains his belief that in the current state of the sport, there are only the top teams and then the rest, with no midfield in between. He came to this conclusion after observing the recent developments in Formula 1.

Over the last few years, the gap between the front and back of the Formula 1 grid has been decreasing, resulting in a field that is more compact than it has been for most of the sport’s seven-decade history.

One of the main reasons for this change has been the technical regulations introduced by the sport’s governing body, which have restricted the extent to which teams can develop and implement significant improvements.

Despite the technical limitations, larger teams with more resources could still gain an advantage over their competitors, but this issue has been addressed by the introduction of financial regulations in recent times. This move has aimed to create a more level playing field for all the teams, regardless of their size or budget.

Although Red Bull appeared to be the strongest team in pre-season testing, Steiner is not ready to label them as clear favorites for the upcoming season. This is due to the recent changes in the sport, which have led to a more competitive field, and made it harder to predict which team will ultimately come out on top.

Steiner believes that the competition between the teams will be extremely close this season, with differences in performance being measured in tenths of seconds. He also suggests that the gap between the teams will continue to decrease over time. While he acknowledges that Red Bull seems to be ahead of everyone else at the moment, he is cautious in his assessment, as he does not know the details of the engine mode or fuel load they are using.

Steiner is confident that the gap between the teams will continue to close this season, as a result of the budget cap and stable regulations. The financial limitations placed on teams will prevent excessive spending and give all teams a chance to compete on a level playing field. Additionally, with the regulations being stable, teams will have a better understanding of how to build a competitive car, leading to a more competitive field overall.