Guenther Steiner’s sacking from Haas at the start of 2024 came as a surprise because he was expecting a contract extension. Steiner had been a key figure for the Kannapolis-based team since its F1 debut in 2016. However, he recently admitted that he felt relieved after his departure.
Speaking on ‘The Fast and the Curious‘ podcast, the 59-year-old mentioned how he didn’t find it “difficult” to come to terms with the fact that he was no longer in charge of Haas — a team he had led for eight years.
He said, “When it all happened for me, it was like okay, ‘That’s actually good. Now I can do what I want to do. I can again decide for myself, I don’t have to ask anybody.”
BREAKING: Guenther Steiner has left Haas after 10 years as team principal. pic.twitter.com/slEXvKDM2p
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) January 10, 2024
Steiner also added that he did not “lose any sleep” over it. While there was a lot of chatter about the former Haas boss being responsible for the team’s underachievements, Steiner claimed that it was the team owner Gene Haas’ lack of investment that handicapped the team’s progress.
In its years in F1, Haas has struggled to establish itself as a midfield team, mostly lingering near the back of the grid.
Gene blamed Steiner as the reason for Haas’ failures and justified it as a reason for firing him. Steiner, on the other hand, accepted it as a sign to start a new chapter in his life. He said, “I think for me it was like, ‘I’m free now'”.
Steiner felt he should have left Haas earlier, given the criticism that was always placed on his shoulders. His only regret was that he was unable to bid adieu to the team members with whom he had worked for so long.
Steiner’s grudge with Gene Haas’ impulsive decision
During his tenure as Haas’ team principal, Steiner had many differences with Gene, but they ultimately resolved these issues for the betterment of the team and its progress in F1. He frequently mentioned having phone calls with the team owner to discuss various team matters.
However, he did not expect Gene to fire him over a phone call. Steiner stated that the Haas F1 owner could regret this someday. “At some stage, he will find out that it wasn’t the right thing to do.”
Steiner and Gene were not aligned in their approach to managing the team, which ultimately led Haas to replace him with Ayao Komatsu.
Ever since Komatsu has taken charge, the Kannapolis-based team has improved massively. Komatsu led several changes in how the team brings in upgrades and helped eliminate the car’s key weaknesses such as tire management and race pace. As a result, Haas currently stands at P7 in the standings with 31 points — just three behind RB in sixth.
