The 2023 off-season, in terms of driver transfers, has been quite uneventful. In fact, this is the first time in the history of the sport that the driver grid from the end of the 2023 season, is the same as the start of the 2024 season. It has quite literally never happened before.

A lot of this is due to contracts ending at the end of the 2024 season, meaning a lot of drivers and teams will be free to look into other options. In fact, three-quarters of the grid are free from contractual obligations, unless they choose to extend their deals. What could this mean for F1? Will we see more fresh blood? At least Guenther Steiner thinks so.

Guenther Steiner hopes to see fresh blood in F1

Talking to Sky Sports F1, the Haas Team Principal made his thoughts known about the off-season after the upcoming season. “There will be a lot of changes at the end of 2024. We always say that there are no new drivers coming. At the end of 24-25, there’s an opportunity for young drivers to come in.”

He reasons that by the end of this season, we will see a lot of the existing grid will not be racing in Formula 1 next year. “Some of the drivers, at the end of ’24, may (choose to) stop doing it. Some of them will not have performed. No one will pick them up. Some teams may see a better opportunity in taking a risk with a young driver than keeping somebody who doesn’t perform.” I think there are quite a few young guys out there. There were complaints ‘Oh it’s very difficult for rookies’. I mean, if they do good now and show good, I think there is good potential to come in.”

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He thinks that the ’25 season is the golden ticket for the rookies to come in and show the world that they’ve got it, just like Oscar Piastri did in 2023. These comments may have been a reply to Theo Pourchaire‘s comments about not being able to race in F1, even after winning the F2 championships.

The F2 champion, in the Pitstop podcast, stated that the F2 drivers don’t really see a call-up to F1 as easily, creating a problem. “The F2 Champion I think can bring something to F1. If you win F2 you have, I think, the level to drive in F1 for sure. I mean, we saw it with Oscar, [and] we saw it with Felipe during the FP1 sessions.”

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However, some pundits note that Guenther Steiner’s comments come mere days after criticism of Haas for booting out younger talent and holding on to experienced drivers who have not performed. Ironic, isn’t it?

Does Haas need to part ways with Magnussen and Hulkenberg?

Dutch driver and racing analyst Tom Coronel recently criticized the American team for continuing with Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen.

Stating that they have no future, Coronel states that he’s infuriated by the fact that these two drivers are still on the grid. “They were gone. But if you’re gone, stay away and give new guys a chance as a team. Then you build a future. These men have no future. It wasn’t for nothing that this had been said goodbye to in the past, right? As a Formula 1 team you should never go for certainty.”

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While Haas did not change the driver lineup this year, all bets are on to see if they’ll make the changes next year. Especially after Steiner’s recent comments, the changes at Haas might not only be likely but they might be expected.