The only American-based Formula One team is committed to continuing its efforts in the series for at least another five years. It has been competing in the sport since it was formed in 2016, and have very little to show for that billion dollar plus investment. No podiums, and only 42 points finishes from 188 starts. Every race the team has had Romain Grosjean in one of its cars, and for the last four seasons the other car has been filled with Kevin Magnussen. At the end of this season, both drivers will be released and the team will start fresh with a pair of young talented drivers.

For years my complaint about Haas has been that the team never seems interested in trying anything new, despite its poor cumulative results. That seems to be changing for the better in 2021 as the team is scouting for some young blood to feed into the F1 machine. I truly hope that this team finds its stride, and drafting new talent going into a 2021 season that absolutely does not matter ahead of the 2022 regulation change is a step in the right direction. I applaud the team for making this drastic move.

A few months ago, I said that if Haas wanted to improve it needed to build a better chassis, hire some better drivers, and probably ditch the boat-anchor-of-an-engine that Ferrari supplies them with. It has done one of those things, and presumably is working on a better 2022 chassis. I’m guessing the Ferrari engines aren’t going anywhere, and their driver choices are part of the reason why.

Haas, more than likely, wants access to Ferrari Young Driver Academy racers, which means an even longer commitment to engines from the Scuderia. The team can hope that with Honda’s dropping out Ferrari will be given provisions by the sanctioning body to improve its lump soon. And with potential access to pick any one of Callum Illot, Mick Schumacher, or Robert Schwartzman is probably incentive enough to stay. And with rumors in favor of , Haas probably needs an open seat to try to court the young Russell. That said, 2020 super substitute Nico Hulkenberg is also without a 2021 seat and could easily fill a Haas slot.

Illot/Russell Haas. Yeah, that sounds good to me.

We’ve been waiting four months to finally get an official announcement of where we might see former

This sport is so ridiculous and weird, and while I see a potential collapse of F1 on the horizon, I hope it doesn’t go away. And as an American, I’d even really like to see Haas continue in the sport for decades to come. Here’s hoping Gene Haas can find some good drivers, build a decent chassis, throw together a few sponsors, and get Ferrari’s engine department to pull its collective head out of its collective ass. Here’s hoping the 2021 budget caps will help Haas catch up tot the front runners.