Guenther Steiner and Haas are again the place all of it started, on the Australian Grand Prix

Method 1 is again in Melbourne this week, for the Australian Grand Prix.

For Guenther Steiner and Haas, meaning a return to the place all of it started.

Haas joined the F1 grid for the 2016 season, and that 12 months the Australian Grand Prix was the opening race of the season. The group surprised the F1 world, as Romain Grosjean delivered a shock sixth-place end, securing eight factors for the group of their F1 debut. That was the primary time in F1 historical past that an American constructor completed within the factors of their debut race, and the primary time any constructor secured factors of their debut since Toyota Racing again in 2002.

So this week brings again some robust recollections for Steiner and the group.

“I’ll always remember our first race in 2016 – attending to Australia and being confronted with all the problems we had as a result of it’s nonetheless the primary race for a group, and it’s very troublesome for a brand new group in Method 1,” mentioned Steiner this week forward of the Australian Grand Prix. “For us scoring factors, each time I’m going there I keep in mind that second and for the group and individuals who have been there on the primary day, they nonetheless keep in mind it. For us it’s all the time a good way to return again to that place and keep in mind good recollections.”

In fact, a lot has modified for Steiner and Haas since that debut in 2016. The Australian GP is now the third race on the calendar, which means that Haas has two races beneath their belt already, with some blended outcomes. Drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg completed out of the factors within the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, however Magnussen managed a hard-fought tenth-place end within the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, notching the group’s first factors of the season two weeks in the past.

“This 12 months we began off with a transparent goal in thoughts to higher our place within the Constructors’ Championship from final 12 months. Clearly, we didn’t rating in Bahrain however as all of us discovered there are 4 very robust groups now in Method 1 and the factors which can be up for grabs should not many,” mentioned the group boss. “In Bahrain, we didn’t rating however now we’ve scored one level in Saudi Arabia, and it was completed fairly effectively. By saying that, I imply we didn’t luck into the purpose, we fought effectively for it. Getting factors is the most important motivation for the group, in the event you get factors the group is blissful and motivated to rise up and go to the following race.”

The driving force that secured that time in Saudi Arabia, Jeddah, additionally has fond recollections of Melbourne. Again in 2014 Magnussen made his F1 debut within the Australian Grand Prix driving for McLaren, and secured a podium in his very first race, ending third. “After I look again, I really feel like I used to be a baby again then. It’s principally a 3rd of my life since then and numerous stuff has occurred since,” recalled Magnussen. “It was a really intense weekend as a result of having your first Method 1 race weekend in itself is an enormous factor, an ideal expertise by itself. Then, getting on the rostrum made it that rather more particular and positively one of many weekends in my life that I’ll keep in mind without end.”

Issues have actually modified since 2014, and the Danish driver admits {that a} podium in 2023 would imply a lot, far more.

“A podium would undoubtedly imply extra now than again then although. Again then, I used to be in an entire totally different mindset, as I got here from junior classes the place podiums, wins and championships have been a daily factor. Getting on the rostrum in Method 1 was an enormous factor however it was additionally one thing that I virtually anticipated and anticipated, whereas actuality confirmed afterward that it wasn’t going to be the norm,” mentioned Magnussen. “Now, it could imply a lot extra as a result of it’s not one thing I’m anticipating as such – I’m dreaming, hoping and dealing in direction of it – however it’s not one thing we are able to count on, so it could imply 1,000,000 instances greater than it could again then.”

Can Haas notch a podium Down Beneath? As Steiner concedes, the grid is as powerful as ever.

“As we’ve mentioned, there are only some factors obtainable for the midfield groups and everyone seems to be in that midfield, from P6 down it’s all midfield, there’s no person behind. We should take each alternative,” mentioned the Group Principal. “I feel we’re within the midfield, the higher finish of it, however each race may see a change the place every group is. The one factor to do in the intervening time is to work onerous and take a look at to not make errors as a result of they may value dearly.”

The Australian Grand Prix kicks off with observe periods later this week. We’ll see if Haas can rekindle a few of that magic Down Beneath from 2016 this weekend.