Guenther Steiner’s name has become synonymous with Haas, after the Italian-American team principal rose to stardom over the last few years. However, Steiner is now set to leave Haas as revealed earlier today. While fans are sad and baffled at how suddenly this unfolded, the team’s performances suggest this was a long time coming.
Steiner has been a part of Haas since 2016. He oversaw a very good rookie season for the team finishing P8 in the standings. In 2018, they defied all expectations to finish P5. However, this was followed by three seasons of underwhelming results, that established them as a backmarker.
In 2022, they showed signs of progress again, only to finish last in 2023. Because of this, the team likely wanted to move on from Steiner, and head in a new direction. The Italian-American had discussions with team owner Gene Haas over the winter break, as per F1’s official website, and the news became official earlier today.
Turmoil at Haas with Guenther Steiner leaving
Another big figure, namely Simone Resta reportedly left Haas because of disagreements with team owner Gene Haas (as per Autosport). This, along with the big news of Steiner’s departure suggests that the Kannapolis-based outfit is desperate to make progress.
Ayo Komatsu, who has been with Haas since 2016 himself, was trackside engineer at the team led by Steiner previously. Now, he has been promoted to the role of team principal, and will take charge heading into the 2024 season.
2023 was bad for Haas. The future, however, didn’t look too bad for them prior to this turmoil. Yes, they weren’t scoring many points. But with massive cash injection in the form of MoneyGram, their title sponsor, they were expected to make strides in the coming seasons.
Still, it seems as though Guenther Steiner is not the right man to lead this. After becoming a fan-favorite thanks to Netflix’s Drive to Survive, Guenther Steiner’s presence on the paddock will surely be missed.
