Barely a week after the Alfa Romeo Sauber partnership was launched in Milan, it is being reported another brand under the Fiat Chrysler umbrella could return to Formula 1 with Maserati teaming up with Haas F1.
The suggestion comes after CEO of the parent company and Ferrari Chairman Sergio Marchionne hinted at a possible future change in the relationship between the Scuderia and the American team, who have worked together since Haas joined the grid at the beginning of 2016.
Initially, however, his comments began as a clarification of the types of relationship the Italian team has first with Sauber, after the Alfa deal, and Haas.
It’s a totally different arrangement,” Marchionne claimed. “Haas has been given access to Ferrari resources and to our powertrain, so there Ferrari is acting as technical support. The team is still very much Haas, it has no association with any car brand, and Gene [Haas] has decided to run his own products.
“This one [Sauber/Alfa Romeo] is a completely different arrangement, starting with identification of Alfa as being title sponsor for the car and the team already exists – it may not be fully staffed – but it already exists.
“The arrangement itself is completely different.”
A good example of the difference is how Ferrari had hoped the technical partnership with Haas would hold enough sway to do a deal allowing their current third driver Antonio Giovinazzi to move into a race seat for 2018 but the team refused.
With the financial interest in Sauber, however, that allowed Academy driver and F2 champion Charles Leclerc to replace Pascal Wehrlein, although the Swiss team would retain Marcus Ericsson.
Though there would be no indication a potential Maserati return is being considered, Marchionne did suggest mirroring the Sauber deal is an option for the future.
“Is it possible for the Haas arrangement to turn into something other than what we have today? The answer is potentially yes," he said. “But we’re very far away from a resolution on that matter, but it’s possible. We’ll see, time will tell.”
Another reason why the Maserati name is being linked, however, is the past relationship between the luxury carmaker and chassis producer Dallara with whom Haas work with on their car.
