Drive to Survive Exposes Haas F1 Team’s Inability to Afford Daniel Ricciardo

Guenther Steiner, the team principal of Haas, has disclosed that the team could not afford to have Daniel Ricciardo for the 2023 season. This revelation comes as no surprise in the fast-paced world of Formula 1 where team principals and drivers are constantly trying to strike a balance between skill, experience, and teamwork.

As the 2022 season progressed, it became apparent that Haas was looking to revamp its driver pairing for the 2023 season, and Ricciardo emerged as a top target for the team. The Australian driver had revealed he was leaving McLaren at the end of the 2022 season, making him a desirable candidate for Haas.

Drive to Survive, the popular Netflix documentary series that provides an inside look into the world of F1, will soon be releasing its fifth season on February 24, 2023. In this upcoming season, it is set to be revealed that Kevin Magnussen, the Danish driver, was also keen on the idea of having Ricciardo as a teammate.

However, during a conversation between Magnussen and Steiner that was captured by Drive to Survive cameras, it became evident that Ricciardo’s salary demands were too steep for Haas to afford. When Magnussen enquired about the possibility of having Ricciardo join the team, Steiner responded candidly and promptly, stating that the team could not afford him and that he was asking for a minimum of 10 million.

The conversation between Magnussen and Steiner also included discussions about Mick Schumacher’s dismissal, whose position at Haas had become untenable due to multiple crashes during the season. In the “Like Father Like Son” episode of Drive To Survive, a phone conversation between Steiner and team owner Gene Haas reveals the plans for Schumacher’s replacement. Magnussen suggested Nico Hulkenberg as a potential replacement, who was eventually signed up as his partner for the 2023 season.