Williams technical chief Pat Symonds does not think the rules which allowed Haas to enter F1 with a Ferrari partnership are healthy for the sport.

The Haas team joined the grid this year with a Ferrari engine and as many parts from the Italian team allowed under the regulations. It also enjoyed extensive use of Ferrari's facilities at Maranello last year, although that particular loophole was closed by the FIA at the end of 2015.

Symonds is unsure whether the scale of the technical partnership Haas enjoyed with Ferrari is a sensible option for F1 to give new teams.

"The status of being a constructor has been gradually eroded," Symonds told Autosport. "Some would like it completely eroded. What [Gene] Haas has done is good for him, but I don't know if that is really the way F1 should be going.

"It's absolutely legal but is it really what F1 wants? I'm not sure. When we had the original listed parts, the long list, it was quite pragmatic I thought. It allowed you to sell a few sensible things like transmissions which are high value, low performance impact. But it got whittled away. Some want it whittled even further. I would prefer F1 to have more of an emphasis on constructors."

However, Symonds is taking nothing away from Haas' achievement at the Australian Grand Prix, where Romain Grosjean held off Force India's Nico Hulkenberg to score a memorable sixth-place finish, though he doubts it is a true reflection of the team's standing at this stage.

"With the pace in the race, we need to be careful how you judge it right the way through the field. I take nothing away from Haas, it's a fantastic result. But on another circuit, would the Force India have been behind for that long? I'm not sure."

Source:
courtesy of ESPN

by Nate Saunders

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