Haas F1 Team is proud to announce a charity partnership with Starlight Children’s Foundation in the USA, to provide support and respite to seriously ill children and their families in hospital.
Founded in 1982, Starlight was formed with a mission to deliver happiness to seriously ill children and their families, working with over 800 children’s hospitals across America. Since its inception, the charity has positively impacted 21 million children and continues to work tirelessly to bring joy and comfort to those receiving treatment.
Together, Haas F1 Team and Starlight will work on multiple synergies to support the charity’s agenda. At US race events, personnel, including drivers and key representatives, will visit children’s hospitals in local areas, and at highlight races the team will host an exclusive program for children receiving treatment and their families to come to a race for an unforgettable experience away from hospital. Throughout the year, children will have access to live Q&A sessions and lessons with staff, immersing themselves in the world of motorsport, with a specific focus on STEM subjects. The alliance will grow nationwide, with wider projects targeted at supporting hospitals across numerous states to be announced in due course.
To begin its collaboration, Team Principal of Haas F1 Team Guenther Steiner and Official Reserve Driver Pietro Fittipaldi visited Atrium Health’s Levine Children’s Hospital, close to the team’s US base in Charlotte, North Carolina, to visit some of the children receiving treatment.
The duo stopped by the Ryan Seacrest Studios in the hospital – a dedicated space where children can learn, play and host their own shows which are broadcast to patient’s rooms – to introduce many to the world of Formula 1 with Steiner and Fittipaldi holding a Q&A with children as well as selecting their favorite Mario Kart characters, race cars and tracks.
“Haas F1 Team has a platform to raise awareness and highlight the incredible work of those that rely on the support of others to operate, and I feel we have a duty to do more,” noted Guenther Steiner, Team Principal of Haas F1 Team. “I’m really proud of our partnership with Starlight and am excited about how we can help them achieve their goals across multiple areas of the charity – together, we’re committed to creating positive experiences for seriously ill children.”
“It was truly an honor to meet the children and families at Levine Children’s Hospital,” shared Pietro Fittipaldi, Official Test and Reserve driver of Haas F1 Team. “I can only imagine how traumatic it is for a child to have to go into hospital, away from their home comforts, and after only a small amount of time playing with the kids, it’s clear that any distraction is welcomed to take their minds away from treatment. Thanks to Guenther for inviting me along to the first event of this collaboration – it’s a day that will stay with me for a very long time.”
“We are absolutely delighted and honored to be partnering with Haas F1 Team to bring the thrill and excitement of racing to sick kids at each of the U.S. races and to help us expand our program distribution to children’s hospitals across the country,” remarked Starlight Children’s Foundation CEO Adam Garone.
To learn more about Starlight’s vital work, as well as donate, please visit: https://www.starlight.org/haasf1team
Haas F1 Team PR
