“‘I have people ask all the time. But of 100 people, hardly anyone makes it.’”
“After three years, we put forth a tender. And it went from there.”
This was the skepticism from Bernie Ecclestone about a potential new American F1 team, and the resulting response from Guenther Steiner.
NBC SportsWorld: One of a Kind: Romain Grosjean, Gene Haas carry American flag into F1 history
Ecclestone was skeptical an American Formula 1 team could work. The failure of the US F1 project put the U.S. and F1 in a negative combined light in 2010.
But at the same time, the journey for Haas F1 Team began. A meeting of the minds between Gene Haas and Steiner led to the eventual creation of the team in 2014.
A planned strategy to build the team into an actual member of the F1 grid was methodical and well-executed.
You’ve seen the special: Haas F1: America’s Return to the Grid on NBCSN.
Now, read the story from my MotorSportsTalk colleague and our lead F1 writer Luke Smith on NBC SportsWorld, of how Gene Haas’ dream materialized into reality – and bore even greater fruit than anticipated with Romain Grosjean’s incredible result of sixth place on the team’s debut at the season opening Australian Grand Prix.
