Haas and Alfa Romeo have put forward competing views on how Formula 1 teams responded during recent coronavirus crisis talks.
Since the Australian Grand Prix was cancelled back in March, teams, the FIA and F1 bosses have been working on a range of cost-saving measures in response to the financial impact of Covid-19.
The most notable changes to emerge was a reduction of the 2021 budget cap to $145m from $175m, a broad freeze of current car development but for some key areas until the end of next season and the postponement of all new technical regulations until 2022.
And commenting on the journey that led to those and other solutions being implemented, Haas' Guenther Steiner paints a good picture.
“I hope that none of us will forget the difficult time that we had in the last four, five months, so we don’t forget that at any time that we can be back in the same position,” he told F1 Experiences on Instagram Live.
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“I think everybody came together and agreed that we have to work together. I think the 10 teams that we have now are all pretty good… some are in better financial shape than others and all in a respectable financial position.
“But I think we got together a lot between us team principals and let’s hope it stays like this; we will have our fallouts again but as long as we are principled we will stay together and that will be a big step forward.”
Indeed, the final outcome does appear pretty positive for the sport going forward, with strong action being taken to close the gap between the top three teams and the rest.
But, as was shown by the spat that broke out between Ferrari and McLaren during April, Alfa Romeo's Fred Vasseur claims some were much less enthusiastic about making changes than others.
“Thanks to Skype I was in touch several times a day with Formula 1, the FIA and the other team bosses,” he told Swiss publication Blick.
“In a time when Formula 1 is all about survival, you get to know the character of your opponents pretty damn well.
“I was surprised at how narrow-minded some gentlemen are and unfortunately do not see the big picture.
“Many must finally understand that the world could live without Formula 1! We have to keep our feet on the ground. The superstars this year are not the racers but the doctors and nurses.”
