- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
There has been plenty of conjecture this season, surrounding the close partnership between Ferrari and the Haas F1 Team – particularly because the latter has finally become a competitive point-scoring force.
Rival outfits have questioned the legality of the American VF-17 challenger, not sure whether it is just a facsimile of Ferrari’s 2017 car, as it currently boasts the fourth fastest car on the grid.
Haas and Ferrari themselves have rubbished these allegations, which naturally have arisen due to the fact the Gene Haas-owned squad in its third season are ruffling the feathers of the established midfielders.
This alliance has led Formula One’s silver juggernauts in Mercedes AMG consider a similar arrangement, with team boss Toto Wolff’s designs on having a junior team to his world championship winning outfit.
“We have seen that the system between Ferrari and Haas has worked, it has worked for both,” Wolff said while speaking to Formula1.com.
“It’s an interesting revenue filler for Ferrari, and I think in terms of synergies, there is a lot you can work on, and it has functioned for Haas.
“They are a very competitive team without having built on a legacy, or without having built on know-how that would have taken years and years to collect. So far the system is very successful, and of course our thinking goes in that direction – whether it is Williams or Force India to collaborate.”
The key word used by the Austrian in this extract is ‘synergies’ and it is a term that perhaps may rise its head in Formula One over the coming years, with particular emphasis on 2021 and the changing of the regulations.
Long has Formula One suggested the concept of B-teams or customer cars, though have been met with derision in defence of the sport’s independents such as Williams and Force India, who on their current budgets and with their limited resources continue to meander in the midfield.
Is Haas’s relationship with Ferrari an unfair advantage? (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
For Williams especially, who’ve been a successful team in the past and have won multiple world championships, the customer notion is one that wouldn’t adhere to the fundamentals of the Grove-based team.
Coming under a manufacturer team’s wing essentially defeats any designs a team might have on winning the championship, which for Williams would be an impossible pill to swallow – despite their current predicament being quite dire.
Financially it would ease the burdens of seeking large sums of sponsorship money, as seen with the Haas team which can get away with looking like one of its CNC machines and not have to base its livery upon the demands of sponsors.
Despite the fact it is believed that Haas will never win a championship in Formula One under its current arrangement with Ferrari, there’s nothing to say that they won’t win a race or stand on the podium – which is something that MotoGP’s satellite squads enjoy.
Ask the Tech3 Yamaha outfit this season, who so far seem to have the more competitive machinery in comparison to the factory Yamaha team, which continues to struggle in the development of their new bike.
For Mercedes AMG, in going down the path that Ferrari has with Haas, it will only strengthen its position in Formula One and point towards its long-term presence within the sport.
Blooding young drivers and engineers, as well aiding in bilateral development between teams – its an option on the table for who wants it, if not Force India or Williams.
Looking for great odds on racing and sport? Get into the action with PlayUp today. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.