Guenther Steiner has suggested that Haas have looked at Daniel Ricciardo as an option for next season, but he is not sure what the Australian wants to do yet.
Haas are currently looking to tie up their driver line-up for 2023 – Kevin Magnussen is locked in, but Mick Schumacher is currently out of contract at the end of the season.
The German has previously said that he is “happy” at the American side, for whom Magnussen scored all of their points in the opening nine rounds of the season.
During that time, Schumacher looked short of confidence, and his crashes in Jeddah and Monaco did not help with that, so his future was looking in doubt.
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However, the 23-year-old found himself in Canada before being denied a points finish there by a reliability failure, and he scored his first championship points at the British Grand Prix.
That eighth-placed result was followed by a P6 in Austria a week later, but the Banbury-based side have been struggling to finish inside the top 10 in the last five rounds.
They still sit seventh in the Constructors’ Standings though, in what has, so far, been their best season since 2018.
Despite the performance of both drivers, Steiner continues to weigh up whether the 2020 Formula 2 champion is the best option for him.
Schumacher is rumoured to be leaving the Ferrari driver academy (FDA) at the end of this season, and it is possible that the Scuderia, given their relationship with Haas, may ask them to put a Ferrari-affiliated driver in the car.
That could come in the shape of Antonio Giovinazzi or Robert Shwartzman, or it could be that the Italian team have no influence at all.
Nico Hulkenberg has been linked with the drive as well as Daniel Ricciardo, who is set to leave McLaren at the end of the season.
The Australian’s contract will end a year early to make way for Oscar Piastri, and he has not yet secured a drive for next year.
Possibilities include a return to Alpine or AlphaTauri, as well as moves to Alfa Romeo, Williams or Haas.
The 33-year-old’s options are running out, but Haas are in no hurry just yet to sign him, or anyone else for that matter.
“I’ve talked to most of the potential drivers, which is my job,” said Steiner.
“There’s nothing concrete yet, but we only want to take the smallest risks for the development of the team. You can take a big risk which is great when it works, but it’s bad when it doesn’t.
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“There are none of those [experienced and technical drivers] who are currently on the market, except maybe Daniel [Ricciardo], but his form isn’t great at the moment and we don’t know what he’s going to do.
“Maybe he’ll sit out a year, as I said, I talk to everyone.”
Pierre Gasly is said to be the front-runner for the vacant Alpine seat, although Jack Doohan has emerged as a serious possibility of late.