Mario Andretti’s efforts of fielding a team in F1 have not gone according to plan so far with the sport rejecting his entry on multiple occasions. When fan support was deemed insufficient to pressurize the F1 bosses into allowing them a pass, political charge entered the foray. Unfortunately, the signs aren’t very good on that front either. Amidst this, former Haas boss Guenther Steiner opines that Andretti was wrong with his approach every step of the way.
Responsible for playing a role in bringing Haas to F1, Steiner is well aware of the effort it takes to get into the pinnacle of motorsports. Appearing on The Red Flags Podcast, he revealed how he set up an army of support, instead of simply banging on F1’s doors.
On the other hand, Andretti’s first approach was to go public. Steiner feels that he should have asked for something like a ‘private dinner’ because it is the American who wants to join the F1 club and not the other way around. “Nobody has asked him to join,” he said.
Thus, the 59-year-old feels that Andretti hasn’t been entirely respectful of the authorities, who make the decision.
He spoke about his struggles from when Haas was finding its roots, having to reach out to relatives of higher authorities to just get in a word. Eventually, it was his contacts who helped him land a spot for the Kannapolis-based outfit on the F1 grid.
Unlike Andretti, Guenther Steiner asked for several favors for Haas
Recalling Haas’ path to F1, Steiner detailed how he called in favors from figures like Niki Lauda and Stefano Domenicalli. He asked them to set up a meeting with Bernie Ecclestone (former F1 supremo) so that he could tell him about Haas’ plan. Lauda and Domenicalli even called Steiner up at three in the morning to ask him what his plan was.
Haas F1: A Thrilling Journey
From fairytale debuts to dramatic setbacks, Haas F1 Team’s 8-season adventure, led by Guenther Steiner, has been a rollercoaster!
In 2016, they wowed in their debut race. 2018 saw them as both rockstars and “wankers” due to pitstop… pic.twitter.com/urlYtms7i9
— Track Limits (@tracklimits_pod) September 8, 2023
With the FIA, Steiner adopted a very similar approach. He spoke to Jean Todt and Charlie Whiting, who included a series of people in Steiner’s corner, to support him in his bid.
In the end, it was all about getting everyone involved and working on getting the license together. By doing so, Steiner and Haas were respectful of the authorities, which went a long way in helping them get into F1 without much pushback.
