A huge shock came in the world of F1 in the early days of January 2024 with Haas sacking team principal Guenther Steiner, who was a part of the team for nearly a decade. Speaking to Jordan Bianchi at the Daytona Garage recently, the 58-year-old provided an important update and talked a little about his Haas tenure, as updated on X by Bianchi.
Guenther Steiner wasn’t just a hired executive – he was the heart and soul of his team. He tells us all, following his shock Haas F1 exit https://t.co/HxQXlpTSi2 pic.twitter.com/aSQVb93FKR
— Autocar (@autocar) January 24, 2024
The motorsports journalist revealed Steiner told him he was “doing well” and evaluating what he would do next. They also spoke about Steiner’s Haas stint, with the ex-team principal opting to use only five words to describe it and refrained from saying anything else.
“Ten years was too long.”
Speaking for the first time after his surprise sacking, Steiner first expressed his regret for not getting a chance to thank and say goodbye to the team members who worked alongside him at Haas. He also took the opportunity to thank the fans for their continued support and the love they showed to him, especially after the Netflix series Drive to Survive.
Steiner added that he found solace in knowing his team knew him and knew how much he appreciated them. They started small, but everyone did a good job, and finally being able to thank them for their effort made Steiner feel better.
Guenther Steiner came to know of his sacking over a phone call
Revealing the surprising nature of his shock sacking, Steiner mentioned Gene Haas told him he was no longer a part of the team over a phone call. He added that with Haas being the team owner, he was well within his right to do as he pleased. As per F1’s official website, Steiner said:
“Gene called me and said that he doesn’t want to extend the contract which was up at the end of the season, and that was it. I don’t know [if it was a surprise]. It’s always a little bit of a surprise, but then in the end, he owns the team, he can do what he wants and it’s his decision.”
Gene Haas on Guenther Steiner’s departure:
“[…] Here we are in our eighth year, over 160 races – we have never had a podium. The last couple of years, we’ve been 10th or ninth.”
“I’m not sitting here saying it’s Guenther’s fault, or anything like that, but it just seems like… pic.twitter.com/BEv7k1Yfkk
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) January 11, 2024
Steiner claimed he was unsure of whether the team needed a change or not, while Haas cited a lack of performance as a key factor leading to the sacking. In an interview after the move, Haas referred to the team’s performances in 2023 as the specific reason behind the management’s decision to remove Steiner from his role. He further claimed he was “embarrassed” by the team’s dismal performance, given their close relationship with Ferrari.
