Haas doubts F1 cost cuts help anyone

With his American outfit due to join the grid next year, Haas has already kept a close eye on the way the sport is run.

And, amid concerns from other team chiefs like Ron Dennis about the way cost control is not helping, Haas too thinks that it is an area that needs looking at.

"They are always changing the rules trying to save costs, but every time they try to save money they just spend more," said Haas.

"I think F1 is supposed to be the pinnacle of automotive excellence and all these restrictions, I am not sure who they benefit?

"Maybe the smaller teams who are trying to save costs, but pushing the envelope is really what it [F1] is about.

"From the aero standpoint, [they say] let's have less and less testing, but it pushes the teams to go spend money somewhere else."

McLaren frustrated

McLaren chairman Ron Dennis spoke out at the Japanese Grand Prix about the way that restrictions aimed at cutting costs not only failed to reduce budgets, but also hampered the ability of teams to catch up with their rivals.

"I think the frustration I have personally with the regulations is that virtually everything that is designed to reduce costs has increased it," he said.

"That is primarily because the cost of getting durability is endless evaluating on dynos and test cells.

"I like to go testing. I would like to have freedom in wind tunnels. I would like to have freedom in CFD, because when you are uncompetitive you have to develop your way out of it.

"At the moment the regulations are extremely constraining in that area."

Interview by Lee Spencer