Haas boss Guenther Steiner has indicated the team will choose a younger line-up of drivers from next season.
For several months now the American outfit has suggested the futures of both Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean are uncertain, this as Haas struggle towards the back of the grid with just a single point to their name in 2020.
Sergio Perez’s recently acquired availability has made him a strong candidate, particularly as his Mexican backing would probably be very welcome too.
However, Steiner admits going for experience may not be much good given the changes that are coming to F1.
“There are so many options you can pick from this year: you have very experienced good drivers, you have medium-experienced drivers, you have young drivers, there’s a full menu out there,” he said via The Race.
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“Some of the [potential] drivers have been in Formula 1 already a long time. Will they be the best drivers in a few years? Maybe not. Maybe there’s young talent we need to develop for then.
“That’s where there is a fine line. We all have a sell-by date performance-wise, especially an athlete, and we need to be careful that we don’t invest in something that when we really need it, they’ve surpassed their peak.
“For me what’s important is that we have drivers who will be here in 2022. If we put in somebody next year just for a year then we are just wasting our time.
“There are a lot of drivers who are used to the current spec of the car, but if we have a new car and a new driver, it could get difficult, so I would like to have for ‘22 the drivers we have in ‘21.”
On Friday, Haas will run F2 driver Callum Ilott in Practice 1, one of two Ferrari juniors as Mick Schumacher will drive at Alfa Romeo.
But while that might indicate he’s being considered for a 2021, Steiner claims that is not the case… for now.
“He’s not on the list because he’s a Ferrari driver. He’s their driver, so therefore he’s not on the list,” he said.
“I don’t know what they’re doing with him, what they’re planning with him and so on. Therefore at the moment, he’s not on the list.
“I have a lot of respect for him because he’s second in the F2 championship which means he’s pretty good.
“I met him the first time this morning briefly, we’ll have a meeting this afternoon, so I will learn a little bit more about him.
“I’m very honest, he’s not on the list now. Maybe he’s on the list tomorrow, I don’t know that. It will not be dependent on the FP1 result.
“For sure if he does one thing which he shouldn’t be doing, then he’s not on the list for sure anymore, like if he crashes the car.”
Asked how the decision-making process regarding their 2021 line-up is going, however, the Haas chief gave this update.
“My comment today on drivers is we are getting there,” said Steiner. “We are getting there slowly. It’s not an easy task to do this, but I would say we are getting there.
“I don’t want to go into any detail of how many are there [on the short-list].
“This is not without disrespect to anything, it’s just right, then we are sitting here just speaking about something we have been covering the last two months now.
“We are getting there and as soon as we know, we will announce it, and hopefully it’s not too far out for your benefit and for my one as well, so you’re not busting my you-know-what.”