Haas won’t decide on 2020 F1 drivers until after summer break

Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner says no decision will be made on the US squad’s driver line-up until after the summer break.

Kevin Magnussen is on a two-year deal running until the end of 2020, but teammate Romain Grosjean’s contract expires at the end of the current campaign.

A poor run of form seen the Frenchman linked with the exit door from Haas - possibly as early as mid-season - but Steiner insisted the team is yet to consider its future driver plans.

“As always, we will decide after the summer break what we are doing next year,” Steiner said ahead of the German Grand Prix.

Pressed on whether both drivers will see out the current season, Steiner replied: “After the break we will know everything about drivers.

“And again, in Spa, you will all be lining up, asking what we do about drivers and then I will tell you we are almost there, but give me a few more days, a few more events and I will tell you.

Asked if Grosjean needs to up his game to retain his seat, Steiner replied: “Drivers always have to show what they need to do to be confirmed so there is nothing different for him on this one.”

Steiner said Haas is open to fielding a rookie driver in its line-up, with Brazilian Pietro Fittipaldi currently acting as the team’s test driver, though he is lacking the points required for a superlicence.

“I think we are maturing but then again do we want to take the risk of a rookie?” he said.

“This year I would say McLaren took the risk and they did very good, Lando is doing a good job, I think he is very fast. But it can go wrong as well and then it is difficult to get out of that mess.

“It is always very difficult, they are difficult decisions to make because you have to take a big risk. It is an opportunity but it comes with a high risk.

“As a team we could do it but do we want to do it? That is the next thing because again if you think this year we had a rookie it wouldn’t help us because we are a little bit lost where we are with the tyres and the rookie doesn’t help you on that.”