This season could be very complicated for Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen in the Haas Formula 1 team.

Indeed, the Haas team through its team manager, Gunther Steiner, has confirmed that the development of its 2020 car will be halted until further notice before even a wheel has turned in this, yet to start, unusual 2020 COVID-19 afflicted F1 season.

After the debacle of losing their title sponsor last year, namely the so-called energy drink company ‘Rich Energy’, the American team has returned to relying solely on the personal business empire of Gene Haas financially, and the Covid-19 pandemic has not helped.

Speaking to British journalists, team boss Gunther Steiner also said that in view of the situation, all members of the team, including its two drivers, will not be allowed to make mistakes this year. Those familiar with the relatively recent Netflix series ‘Drive to Survive’, will no doubt hear that command in their mind’s eye relatively easily.

In essence, the drivers and team must cover off any deficiencies the car might encounter as the season progresses, by not making any mistakes at all.

“We have no plans to update our car until the current situation has changed,” says Steiner,

“We can’t spend money when we know that revenues will be down with fewer races and no spectators.

“Until everyone is clearer, we will be very careful and just make sure we participate in the races and do our job as best we can.

“In addition, we will not have to make any mistakes in all sessions and races. It will be very important for us to keep that in mind and stay focused this season.

“I sincerely hope it will be just a great year for all of us.” concludes the Haas team boss.

In another interview today, reported by Racefans.net, Steiner also put down reports that the Haas team had already started selling off parts of the team to help cover costs.

“Gene Haas is still the hundred percent owner of Haas,” claimed Steiner today,

“He never had a partner, he maybe doesn’t want a partner, he maybe doesn’t need a partner,

“When the time is right that he wants to do it, we will communicate it. And [when] I say ‘we’ that is Haas F1 and not everybody having an opinion who owns Haas and who is buying Haas and who is acquiring shares in Haas.”

The speculation on this started after Williams F1 released a statement highlighting that the team could well be up for sale in the near future. A move that has started a wave of similar speculation with other smaller teams, Haas included.

“If somebody wants to buy a team out there, I think Williams did a very good job in how they manage it,” said Steiner. “They put it on the market that we are interested in something, speak with this and this people, and I think that is how it should be done and not big speculations with no foundation,” concludes Steiner.