Guenther Steiner on the Red Flags podcast along with hosts Brian Muller and Matt Elisofon discussed the yellow flag qualifying incident that cost Lando Norris the opportunity to get into Q2 in Baku. As they discussed the same, the former Haas team principal brought Gene Haas into the conversation and took a shot at his alleged frugality.
The hosts asked Steiner why the marshals waved the yellow flag, and how it might cost Norris the championship. The American-Italian explained how the marshals aren’t paid anything and do it voluntarily at their own expense. They waved the yellow flag to do their job well and ensure safe conditions with Esteban Ocon’s slow-moving car on the track. The hosts questioned if the FIA could arrange a set of trained and paid marshals.
As they asked the questions, they brought the Haas owner into the question sarcastically asking if F1 was being managed by Gene Haas. The question came across because Steiner alleged that the Haas owner was resistant to investing in the team and its infrastructure, while the competitors did.
There has been a lot of chatter about Haas’ frugal nature and how the American businessman expects the most out of minimum spending. Steiner replied to the question and he said, “Yeah, if he [Gene Haas] would be running it, there would be no marshals, you know. Because in the end, they get food and accommodation, you know.”
The former Haas F1 boss took a shot at the team owner in the context of his past issues of not getting enough investment to improve the Kannapolis-based team’s performance. Steiner always seemed to be asking for more investment while Haas resisted it. Eventually, Gene Haas sacked the Italian with Ayao Komatsu stepping up as the team principal.
Haas’ improved performances since Komatsu’s takeover
Haas has massively improved since Komatsu took over Steiner’s role. The American outfit finished last in the constructors’ championship in the 2023 season with only 12 points to their name. They already have a higher points tally this season.
Komatsu has tried to improve several aspects of the team’s technical development including the feedback and communication mechanisms. The Japanese engineer stated that during Steiner’s time, there was a big communication gap between the drivers’ feedback and the factory team manufacturing the upgrades, which did not make the upgrades effective.
This season, Haas has been optimizing their existing package with minor upgrades. And the results are evident with their tire management — which was a big weakness until last year — has improved massively. Moreover, they have been improving their package with minor effective upgrades consistently.
Haas is currently P7 in the championship with 29 points to their name and is chasing VCARB for sixth. They are only five points away from the Red Bull’s sister team. Given their decent car development this season, Haas looks like a strong contender to finish P6 — their highest finish since 2018.
