"Twenty-two races is a good amount" - Haas boss hopes F1 don't replace Russian GP only for the sake of racing

Amidst the increasingly horrifying Russian invasion of Ukraine, F1 announced that no race will be held in the country, and Haas team boss Guenther Steiner believes that the FIA needs to make a careful consideration with the difficulties of logistics involved in deciding a replacement or keeping the season at 22 races instead of 23.

No replacement has been found for the Russian Grand Prix so far, and the Haas boss has said that a replacement should not be found at the cost of the logistical structure of the calendar.

As reported by GPFand, when Steiner was asked about the possibility of scrapping the race altogether without a replacement, he said:

"I think it depends on how much new race brings to bottom line of the budget. That is in the hands of F1 and to make sure we are not going to a race just to go to a race, especially with the higher costs of transport and things like this."

Several drivers and team members have been vocal about the strain that a 23-race season can have on everyone involved. In a recent Quadrant YouTube video, Lando Norris also shared that an ideal season would only consist of eighteen races, forget twenty-three.

Steiner emphasized that he would be comfortable with a 22-race season, although he would be okay with the original number, given that new additional strain is put on the team from a financial standpoint:

"So we need to make sure, or F1 will make sure, that we go to a place and the fee is adequate so we are not losing money if we go to one more place. Twenty-two races is a good amount of races but if you can get 23 with the right contribution, it is fine with us."

After an abysmal season for the American team in 2021, Haas are finally gaining momentum this year and have been consistently battling in the midfield.

Former Haas driver set for promised Mercedes F1 test

Mercedes promised former Haas driver Romain Grosjean an opportunity to test with the eight-time world champions to ensure that his fiery crash at the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix would not be his last experience in the sport. Covid restrictions at the originally planned 2021 French Grand Prix did not allow for the test to happen last year, but Toto Wolff has reassured Grosjean that it will certainly happen.

As reported by Motorsport, Wolff said:

“The test is going to happen for sure. We’ve committed to it. [We are seeing] what we can do and what he can do. But that is going to happen. When I give my word, I give my word.”

The Frenchman is currently competing in the 2022 IndyCar season for Andretti Autosport.