SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

Steiner denies Haas selling to Saudi investors

Gunther Steiner has played down suggestions Haas could be sold to investors from Saudi Arabia.

Gunther Steiner has played down suggestions Haas could be sold to investors from Saudi Arabia.

After splitting recently as Haas' title sponsor, Rich Energy boss William Storey said on Twitter: "We wish Haas the best of luck in negotiations selling the team to Saudi investors".

Team boss Steiner responded at Sochi: "I really do not know what to say except I also wish the investors good luck, because I don't know them.

"Haas is not for sale. This is one of the usual tweets from them (Rich Energy) and I'd rather not get into it. It's not our style," he added.

However, there are rumours swirling around the American team.

One of them is that Robert Kubica's sponsor PKN Orlen could switch to Haas for 2020. The Polish driver could then become a simulator and occasional Friday driver.

"Of course we are interested in working with Robert, but I do not know what his plans are," Steiner responded.

"I have told him to let me know if he is interested, but the decision depends more on him than on me."

Kubica is also linked with a Ferrari test role for 2020.

"Last year I had interesting negotiations with a top team," he admitted in Russia.

"It was a proposal designed for the long term, but it basically meant I had to forget about driving and do some other tasks.

"But I felt that I had the chance to race and that I should use it and I do not regret that decision," Kubica added.

"This year everything is a little different and in the end I will have to choose from what is on the table. Time will tell where I end up."

(GMM)