Third cars would "distort" F1, says Haas boss

Talk about the possibility of allowing teams to run an extra car came about after Mercedes said it would be the best solution for helping young drivers like Esteban Ocon stay on the grid.

But while Mercedes chief Toto Wolff is hugely in favour of the idea, other teams bosses are more sceptical – and Steiner in particular thinks it would not be a good thing for F1.

“I’m not in agreement with a third car because it could confuse the whole picture,” said Steiner. “It would be very difficult to understand for the fans and new spectators that sometimes a third car could run.

“It would distort the actual championship, in my opinion. I think we need to sit back and come up with a better idea.”

Steiner said that the only way that Haas would ever consider running a third car would be if someone was willing to bankroll the project.

“As it stands, we have no interest to field a third car,” he explained. “If somebody comes up and pays for it, yes we can consider it. Until that happens, there is no thinking about a third car for us.”

One of the biggest concerns smaller teams have about third cars is that the bigger teams would lock out even more positions at the front – leaving only minor points opportunities up for grabs.

The gap between the top three teams and the rest in F1 is big at the moment, and it’s something that Steiner believes will not be closed until there is a radical shake-up of spending rules.

Asked about how the gap to the top three can be closed by the midfield group, Steiner said: “The gap can just be bridged with a budget cap.

“Whatever we design, that will not bridge the gap. Whatever design you propose, people with more resources and more money can just do more work, and more is better in the end. It will not bring the field together.”