Charles Leclerc will need to gain more experience in the junior formulae before he earns an F1 debut with Haas, according to team boss Guenther Steiner.
Leclerc, currently the championship leader in GP3, has enjoyed three practice outings for the American newcomers so far in 2016, running at Silverstone, the Hungaroring, and Hockenheim.
With Esteban Gutierrez yet to score a point in 2016, there have been murmurs that the Mexican may be axed, with Leclerc and Sauber driver Felipe Nasr among those mooted as potential replacements.
The 18-year old was set for an outing in Sepang this weekend, but a schedule change means he will have to wait until the penultimate round of the season in Brazil for his next opportunity to impress the team’s bosses.
Speaking to Motorsport.com, Steiner ruled out the possibility of promoting Leclerc for 2017 but did hint that the team were in talks with a number of drivers.
“He’s too young, in our opinion,” Steiner said. “He’s very good, but I think it’s better to do another season in either GP3 or GP2. I have no say in his career, it’s Nicolas Todt [his manager], and I think he agrees with me on that one.”
Steiner did not offer any further updates on the future of Gutierrez but is pleasantly surprised at the quality of the drivers who have an expressed an interest in the seat.
“I think we’ve created a little bit of interest driver-wise, which is a compliment,” he revealed. “A few people are speaking to us who maybe a year ago thought ‘why should I go there?'”
After a strong start to their maiden campaign, Haas have fallen down the pecking order in recent races and currently sit eighth in the constructors’ championship.
