Haas F1 boss Guenther Steiner says the team is still earning the respect of their rivals as they enter their fourth Formula 1 season.
The American outfit enjoyed a step forward in the midfield last year, following two eighth-place finishes in the Constructors’ Championship with a fifth in 2018, following a battle with Renault.
However, their status on the grid is still questioned by some, who see their approach of a close technical partnership with Ferrari as making Haas an effective ‘B-team’.
“When you come into the sport you cannot just demand respect, you have to earn your respect,” Steiner told Autosport.
“We’re putting a good show on and always do what we say we’re going to do.
“We’re competitive out on track and behaving well for the sport and a good addition to the sport [so] you are recognised more, but there is still a long way to go because always the guy that wins can have the biggest voice and we have got a long way to go to get there.”
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Haas hasn’t been afraid to get involved in the political angle either and try to hold their own, albeit they were on the losing side of protests both against them and other teams.
Renault successfully saw Romain Grosjean be excluded for an illegal floor at Monza and a query over the legality of Force India’s new entry as Racing Point after the summer break also failed in Abu Dhabi.
“It’s part of what you’re doing, if you have to make a cake, you need to break eggs,” Steiner continued.
“You can’t do it without it. [But] I don’t do intentionally. I don’t get up in the morning [to do that] but you have to. It’s part of getting better, it’s just like getting the respect, not be a pushover and do what you need to do.
“It’s part of the learning as well. You have done all the steps, you’ve got the experience, then the second time you will be better.
“You have to start somewhere and whoever is around, you start with them!”