Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has questioned the need for Formula 1 to introduce standard parts in 2021 when the sport will have a budget cap in place.

Under the planned rules changes for 2021, some standard parts will be introduced to save money. But Steiner warned this means “changing the DNA of Formula One, which is about developing your own car.”

The budget cap makes introduced standard parts unnecessary, Steiner argued. “I think as long as we have a cost cap like the one proposed now going into 2021, standardisation doesn’t really make sense. Everybody should be free to spend their money where they want.

“If we have some standard parts where we level the playing field, like pit equipment, that’s OK. But on the car, the DNA of Formula One means your own development.

“We are well under the budget cap being proposed, so I don’t know if it’s really a money-saver in the end. It hasn’t been defined what will be standardised parts. It’s maybe too early to talk about it or be critical about it. We have to wait a little bit until we know exactly what the aim is.”

Haas currently sources some of its parts from Dallara and rivals Ferrari. Steiner said teams must be satisfied that any other suppliers the sport uses must be up to the same standard.

“If the series mandates certain parts, for sure they’ll have done their due diligence, and it should be in accordance with the teams so that they are all happy. I can live with that.

“If they just go to some suppliers, and if we feel they cannot do the job, we should have a say in it. The 10 teams know more about building a car than all the other authorities.”

Steiner prefers the budget cap as a means of bringing down costs. “I think a budget cap should do the job,” he said. “Everybody’s free to spend their money where they want to spend it. If somebody spends the money in a better way, good for them. They’ll be faster. That’s part of running a Formula 1 team.”

Discover the latest developments in the planned rules changes for 2021 in @DieterRencken’s RacingLines column on Wednesday on RaceFans.

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2021 F1 season