Since the introduction of Haas Racing Developments for the 2016 season, many fans and experts have speculated about the driver line up. In an interview earlier in the 2014 season, Haas has made it quite clear to the Formula One™ community how he will be selecting his drivers; he will be hiring a driver with Formula One™ experience and an American driver. Who will these lucky drivers be?
The primary driver will more than likely be the driver that already has their Formula One™ experience. Haas has stated that he will use this driver’s experience to help get his team off to a good start. The ideal driver for this position is Fernando Alonso of Ferrari.
Gene Haas has the resources to develop a stupendous car that is capable of winning races and doesn’t lack the money required to sign a top notched driver like Alonso. In the recent weeks Alonso has been telling the media that he is feeling disappointed by the performance of Ferrari this season. He knows that his career will not last forever and is hoping to put one last World Championship under his belt. He has been hinting towards leaving Ferrari and with his contract almost expired, this could become the reality. At the age of 32, it is true that Alonso is no spring chicken, but with 13 years of Formula One™ experience he would definitely be able to provide Haas with the feedback and tips that he requires to get his team off of the ground.
Despite the fact that Alonso’s contract does not end until the end of Haas’ debut season, Alonso could still make the team move. Gene Haas has now signed a partnership with Ferrari, meaning that he will have access to some Ferrari components, equipment and experience. The pair will more than likely share knowledge with each other to better their own teams. But with a partnership in action, Ferrari could also offer to transfer Alonso’s contract.
If Alonso is not an option, Kimi Raikkonen could become plan B. Although he said that he would most likely retire at the end of the 2015 season, he may be willing to stay in Formula One™ if a contract is offered. At the age of 34 and with a 13 year Formula One™ career, Raikkonen would also be able to offer Haas the same amount of experience as Alonso. Many people think that this will not be the case because he has stated that he would retire, but that did not stop Michael Schumacher from coming out of retirement in 2010 to race for the newly formed Mercedes AMG Petronas team.
For the secondary driver, Haas hopes to sign an American driver. Early speculation led fans to believe that he would hire Danica Patrick from his NASCAR team; however this will not become a reality. He stated in a press conference earlier this season that although hiring Patrick would be a dream come true, he would not. For a new Formula One™ team, drivers that have already raced in Formula One™ are a must.
The most logical person for the second seat would be the current Caterham test driver, Alexander Rossi. Born in California, Rossi fits Haas’ American requirement. With three years of Formula One™ test driving experience and lots of success in Formula BWM, he is about ready to move up in the sport. At the young age of 22, he has a lot of racing years left in him. Rossi has been trained in the Skip Barber Racing School, which is one of the largest racing schools in the entire world and offers a great education. Rossi would be a great addition to Haas Racing Developments.
