Gene Haas should think about selling his small Formula 1 team, according to former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher.
Haas gave experienced German Nico Hulkenberg his return to the sport this year, and he has impressed. But after Brazil, the third outing for the team's highly-anticipated 'B' car, the 36-year-old admitted Haas may well remain dead-last in 2024, as well.
"We actually needed a real step forward in performance, and unfortunately that didn't happen," Hulkenberg said.
He's worried about a "similar story" next year, also admitting that Sundays at the wheel of his Ferrari-powered Haas are usually "not much fun".
However, Hulkenberg has already signed a contract extension with Haas for 2024 - and Schumacher doesn't blame him for that.
"Haas gave Hülkenberg the chance to get back to Formula 1," he told Sky Deutschland. "That's why I think it's fair and right that he's staying.
"But he also realises that Haas is at a dead end with everything they do. Haas doesn't seem up to the task of competing in the current Formula 1.
"That's a shame for Nico. You get the feeling that he's dealing with the situation openly and honestly, but maybe he's also hoping that he can get out of it somehow," fellow German Schumacher added.
"It's clear that he's getting impatient."
Schumacher is a regular critic of the 8-year-old Haas team, in large part because of his disagreement with the ousting of his own nephew Mick was handled.
But Ralf insists that he doubts it's even possible for the outfit to pull itself out of its current competitive rut.
"Gene Haas would have to invest a lot of money," Schumacher said, referring to the low-profile 70-year-old American who runs the highly successful machine tool manufacturer Haas Automation.
"One option would be for him to sell the team," Schumacher added. "The idea of buying one thing here and another thing there and then cobbling it all together is difficult on your own.
"It won't work like this in the long run. If they could repurpose themselves as a junior team, then there'd be a reason to exist. But it's clear that Haas needs a partner if things continue like this."
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