Will American Formula 1 Fans Accept Haas as a Truly ‘American’ Team?

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: January 31, 2016

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Speaking with Haas Formula One team principal Guenther Steiner in Montreal last summer, I made the mistake of asking how important it was for Haas to be seen as an American team.

"I wouldn't say the question is how much you want to be seen—we don't want to be seen. We are an American team," Steiner responded.

Indeed, the new team's headquarters are in Kannapolis, North Carolina, but when Marussia folded in 2014, Haas also purchased its old factory in Banbury, about 125 kilometres northwest of London. Haas' racing operations will be run from that Oxfordshire base, for logistical reasons.

Despite Steiner's protestations, it remains to be seen whether American Formula One fans will fully embrace the Haas team as their own, with so much work being done outside the country.

Aside from the factory in England, the Italian company Dallara—last seen in F1 in a disappointing partnership with Hispania Racing—was subcontracted to build the team's first chassis. Meanwhile, the engine, gearbox and many other parts will come from Ferrari. The drivers, Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez, are French and Mexican, respectively, and Steiner is from Italy.

Will American fans feel that Haas is truly an American team?

Mercedes is a German company, but their F1 team operates out of Brackley, a short drive from the Haas facility. The Silver Arrows are in the midst of a historically successful run, but judging by the small crowds at Hockenheim for the 2014 German Grand Prix and the cancellation of the race last year at the Nurburgring, the Mercs have not exactly captured the imagination and support of most German F1 fans.

And speaking of home races, the uncertainty surrounding the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin is another potential pitfall—not just for Haas, but for F1 in general in looking to crack the American market.

How many times can F1 break trust with Am...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Formula 1

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