After eight years at the helm of the Haas F1 team, Guenther Steiner was shown the exit doors by team owner, Gene Haas. Rumors had been abound that the American business magnate and the 60-year-old had stopped seeing eye-to-eye about the future of the Kannapolis-based outfit.
Since then, Steiner has been away from the frenzied paddock. And despite not being a paddock regular in the team principal role for the last two seasons, it doesn’t seem as though the American-Italian engineer is keen to make a comeback happen soon.
This could arguably be because his post-F1 life has been all about making and selling his own brand. He is currently the ambassador of the Miami GP, has written two books, and has made regular appearances on podcasts.
On the BBC F1: Chequered Flag podcast, the former Haas boss was asked whether he could ever be tempted to make a return to the paddock.
“I would go back if there is a project, not just to do a job. I mean, just to go back to do a team principal job. As I said, I’m 60 next week,” he replied, clearly laying down a marker for what could change his mind.
Steiner‘s time with Haas wasn’t all smooth sailing. After making its debut in the 2016 season, the Kannapolis-based team’s results have not been the most alluring. In fact, in the last five seasons, the team has finished plum last in the Constructors’ standings twice (in 2021 and 2023).
“Nobody was happy with the results of 2023 but I didn’t see this coming”
Guenther Steiner gives his thoughts on his Haas departure pic.twitter.com/3w6whybFf7
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) January 13, 2024
Yet, Steiner’s stint with the team wasn’t a total failure. He was in fact instrumental to even getting them on the grid, and with very low resources at his disposal from owner, Gene Haas, he was still able to get them on the grid each season — with a fighting spirit.
Naturally, the eight years spent with the team took a toll on him. That is exactly why the only way he would want to put himself back in such a spot would be to achieve a long-term goal for the team.
In this sense, the latest addition to the F1 grid, Cadillac — who enter F1 from 2026 onwards — could be a very enticing prospect for the American-Italian, and likewise for the Andretti-backed outfit. In Steiner, they get the perfect mix of experience and marketability.
For Steiner, it could pave the way back into the F1 paddock with a team that has the clear vision to build themselves into a championship-winning outfit in the latest era of the sport. But with Graeme Lowdon already announced in the team principal role at Cadillac, it would be interesting to see what other role the former Haas boss could assume within the team, if ever approached.
