Williams technical chief Pat Symonds is not sure Formula One is heading in the right direction following the way Haas F1 entered the sport.
Haas scored the best debut race by a new F1 team in over 10 years when Romain Grosjean came home to take sixth place at the Australian Grand Prix but Symonds has questioned whether the route Haas to Formula One is good for the sport.
Haas entered F1 with assistance from Ferrari but everything Ferrari supplied and continues to supply Haas is legal under the current rules and regulations.
Haas uses their own IP for its monocoque, survival cell, roll structure, bodywork, wings, floor and diffuser, but all other components were supplied by Ferrari as part of a technical deal between the teams with Haas also granted use of the Italian team’s wind tunnel in Maranello.
Speaking to Motorsport, Symonds voiced his concerns.
“I think that the status of being a constructor is being gradually eroded.”
“And some would like it completely eroded.
“I think what Haas has done is good for him, but I don’t know if that’s the way F1 should be going.”
“It is totally legal, but is it really what F1 wants? I’m not sure.”
Symonds is concerned relaxing the rules on what can and can’t be supplied from team to team is moving the emphasis away from constructors and towards customer teams.
“I think that when we had the listed parts, the original listed parts, it was quite pragmatic,” he said.
“It allowed you to sell a few sensible things like transmissions that are high value, low-performance impact. But it got whittled away, and some wanted it whittled even further.
“I would prefer F1 to have more of an emphasis on constructors.”
