Haas boss Guenther Steiner ‘quite disappointed’ after FP3 incident at Dutch GP

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Haas Formula 1 team boss Guenter Steiner admits that he is ‘quite disappointed’ after Kevin Magnussen crashed in FP3 at the Dutch Grand Prix and broke a new front wing.

The 30-year-old brought out the red flags within the first 10 minutes of final practice at the Dutch GP. Magnussen lost the rear of his Haas on the exit of Turn Three shortly after exiting the pit lane. He had also struggled for grip through the exit of Turn Two in damp conditions.

Magnussen was hardly pushing as he waited for the spray to settle behind one of the Aston Martin cars. Conditions in Zandvoort had been very wet all morning and called for F1 drivers to use the intermediate tyres. But the cold track temperature left the Dane with limited grip.

Magnussen annoyed Steiner after crashing in FP3 at the Dutch GP

Low tyre temperatures further ensured Magnussen spun 180 degrees into the barrier under acceleration out of Turn 3. His Haas car, ultimately, ended up in the barrier and having taken front wing damage. Much to Steiner’s frustrations as Haas brought an upgraded front wing.

“Absolutely, [I am] quite disappointed with this on an out-lap in Turn Three, knowing we only have two [of the new] wings left from yesterday. So, I’m pretty [annoyed] right now,” Steiner told Sky Sports F1 (26/08, 10:46).

“I don’t know [the cause of the spin], he just spun up the rear tyres and spun. On the out-lap the tyres are cold, we know that.”

Hulkenberg now has Haas’ only remaining upgraded front wing

Haas had already lost two of their new front wings during practice on Friday at the Dutch GP before Magnussen’s early crash in FP3. Teammate Nico Hulkenberg broke one of the team’s upgraded wings during FP1. It meant the German could not run their upgrades during FP2.

Hulkenberg span and took a trip through the gravel trap before he struck the barriers at Turn 14. It brought his session to an early end with the 36-year-old’s Haas beached. It also meant the German could not later run with Haas’ upgraded front wing during FP2 at the Dutch GP.

Now, Hulkenberg has Haas’ only remaining upgraded front wing for the Dutch GP following Magnussen’s FP3 crash. Steiner is confident that the Dane damaged his wing when striking the barrier at Turn Three. He should revert to the American-owned team’s previous spec.