Santino Ferrucci will remain on Haas’s young driver programme despite being fired by his Formula Two team and receiving a four-race ban.
The 20-year-old was dropped by Trident after he deliberately drove into his team mate and fellow Haas junior driver Arjun Maini after the sprint race at Silverstone six weeks ago. Haas said it would wait until the summer break before deciding how to handle the situation.Trident accused Ferrucci and his father of “unsportsmanlike and above all uncivilised behavior” towards Maini during the Silverstone race weekend. In addition to his ban, Ferrucci was also fined €60,000 for failing to appear before the stewards and driving on the track while holding a mobile phone.
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner confirmed today it will not take any action against Ferrucci.
“I think we keep him for the time being on the programme,” he said. “We see what he’s going to do in IndyCar and stay with that one.
“The guy is trying to make a career and we don’t want to pull the rug under his feet.”
Following his departure from F2 Ferrucci confirmed he will return to IndyCar, where he started two races earlier this year, to drive in the final two rounds.
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Thomas Bennett (@felipemassadobrasil)
23rd August 2018, 14:33
If Guenther Steiner thinks he can manage Grosjean, Magnussen and this idiot then so be it. (insert Ericsson joke here)
Maximilian
23rd August 2018, 14:57
Spineless.
As an American, I’ve just lost all respect for Steiner and, by extension, Haas F1.
For a sport with questionable ethics, this feels like a new low.
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
23rd August 2018, 15:14
Indeed, poor decision. Hass just lost a fan.
I hope they don’t get Leclerc or Giovinazzi and have to suffer another year with Grosjean!
Schudha
23rd August 2018, 15:40
Seriously, what’s with the Grosjean hate? He’s thrown away around 20 points this season. How many has Vettel thrown away by comparison? You would think the man is still to amass a single point with all the criticism.
He made an error by crashing in Baku, so did Hulkenburg. He messed up big in. Spain, so did Vettel in France. Vettel also hit the back of Ocon at the next corner. Everyone knows what happened from the lead in Germany. Was that Grosjean’s fault as well?
He didn’t deserve being placed last in the f1fanatic ratings for the first half of the season. Amongst his errors he’s quick, which is more than can be said for half the grid.
Joe Shomoe
24th August 2018, 10:49
Driving style.
Chaitanya
23rd August 2018, 15:45
+1 .
Jamie-er
23rd August 2018, 16:25
Haas obviously see some value in keeping him, regardless of what he did. I suggest that Steiner has an idea of what he is doing and isn’t too emotionally driven when it comes to reacting to incidents.
Louminater
23rd August 2018, 17:50
Santino is dating Steiner’s daughter. Daddy didn’t make a rational decision, he made one to keep his daughter happy.
anon
23rd August 2018, 18:36
If it is what some figures in IndyCar have suggested, it sounds like the value they see in him is the money that he uses to pay for his drives with.
Ram
23rd August 2018, 17:39
I’ve always saw them (Haas) as weird. And this is right along with that. Certainly not worth supporting as a team.
George Growcott (@zesty514)
23rd August 2018, 14:59
I second Maximilian’s comment.
What an awful decision to keep him on the books.
Steve Clark
23rd August 2018, 15:04
I guess daddy’s cheque’s are still coming.
schooner (@schooner)
23rd August 2018, 15:14
I think maybe Gene Haas has a bit of a soft spot for contentious characters. He is partnered with Tony Stewart in his Nascar team after all. I was really hoping (and expecting) that they would dump Ferrucci.
RogerRichards
23rd August 2018, 15:19
@schooner why is tony stewart considered a contentious characters?
RP (@slotopen)
23rd August 2018, 17:01
Because he ran over and killed another driver under yellow flag.
Both these drivers failed to display the self control and maturity required to be allowed on the track.
Todd (@braketurnaccelerate)
23rd August 2018, 17:44
No he didn’t.
anon
23rd August 2018, 18:34
@braketurnaccelerate, what @slotopen is saying is correct, in as much as Stewart did run over and kill Kevin Ward Jr. during a stock car race during a yellow flag period when Ward Jr got out of the car and began gesticulating at Stewart.
Now, whether you take the position Stewart did, where he claimed that what happened was an accident, or whether you take the position of the Ward family and some of Ward’s friends, who suggested that Stewart deliberately drove into Ward, is another matter, but ultimately Stewart was involved in a fatal accident with another driver.
UNeedAFinn2Win (@uneedafinn2win)
23rd August 2018, 18:46
Unfortunately young Ward decided to partake in cannabis that day, went racing, during the race got spun by someone, decided it was Stewart and got out of his car to raise his fists and presumably shout profanities and was struck by Stewart’s car.
At least those are the facts as far as the investigation listed them.
Todd (@braketurnaccelerate)
23rd August 2018, 22:59
@anon – I know what happened. @slotopen implied that Stewart killed/hit Ward on purpose, which is not correct.
ppzzus (@ppzzus)
23rd August 2018, 15:41
America isn’t a country, it’s just a business.
Jere (@jerejj)
23rd August 2018, 15:43
LOL.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
23rd August 2018, 15:54
I guess the lawyers couldn’t find a big enough loophole!
Dane
23rd August 2018, 16:15
What is it that Haas and IndyCar see in this kid? I can only think its money.
Aldoid
23rd August 2018, 16:51
Shame… I was starting to like Haas F1…
Sean (@seanloh)
23rd August 2018, 20:41
Gene Haas has long supported giving people second chances. He has made his own mistakes and has employed a number of drivers that have made mistakes as well. I know this will be an unpopular opinion, but, I think the willingness to give that second chance should be applauded rather than vilified.
RetardedF1sh (@retardedf1sh)
24th August 2018, 8:21
He’s a useless driver. He didn’t deserve the first chance, let alone a second one. The only reason Haas keeps him around is because he has money and he’s American
Dave
24th August 2018, 0:07
This kid is a loose cannon on a slippery deck. There is no excuse for allowing him to participate in a sport wherein other driver’s lives are dependent on his judgement.