Haas “not in a hurry” to decide on 2023 driver line-up

In brief

Steiner has “no hurry” to find Haas’s second driver for 2023

Haas team principal Gunther Steiner says there is no need to worry about settling on a 2023 driver line-up, as he would rather not be rushed into choosing Kevin Magnussen’s team mate for next year.

There are officially three vacancies on next year’s Formula 1 grid, one of which is at Haas.

“We are not in a hurry and there’s not a lot of things moving. So why should I be in a hurry?” Steiner said at last weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, brushing off the idea that he should be worried about missing out on signing drivers if he leaves it too late.

While Mick Schumacher still has a chance of retaining his seat, Steiner says Haas is weighing up what it wants from

On what Haas is looking for in the driver who will partner Magnussen in 2023, he added: “That is what we are looking at. It’s a little bit what do we need to do to get the team better, to help ourselves.

“And we just want to see how Mick is doing. There’s a lot of it we are watching. We are not just sitting there doing nothing, we are seeing what is happening and we know where we want to go, we need to get a stronger team for next year and for the future. So that is what we are waiting.

“There’s no hurry and we are thinking it properly too. The only thing we don’t want to make, maybe next year, saying if we made the wrong decision because we didn’t think is through enough. And not having the pressure to do anything, because I don’t think is a lot of opportunities out there anymore. And we will not miss any of them. We are not in a hurry.”

View the current list of 2023 F1 drivers and teams

Suzuka track updates detailed

After two years away, F1 returns to Suzuka this weekend on a refreshed track. The Degner curves have been resurfaced and the artificial grass which previously bordered the left-handers has been replaced with asphalt. To discourage drivers from exceeding track limits there, double kerbs have been installed on the exit of the corner.

The gravel trap at turn 10 – the corner before the hairpin, where Daniil Kvyat rolled in 2015 after putting his car into the gravel – has also been extended. The artificial grass at the final chicane has been replaced by…