Haas has dispensed with Günther Steiner as Formula 1 team principal, replacing him internally with Ayao Komatsu. Despite his extensive experience in the premier category, it is by far the biggest challenge he will face, having to lead the team on the ground. According to Ralf Schumacher, Gene Haas could bet on a well-known figure in the paddock for a top position.
The former driver spoke to the Formel1.de website about Otmar Szafnauer, who was released from Alpine in the middle of last year: ‘Otmar is well known in F1, he also has technical experience, and the fact that he looks for good people, sometimes in universities, also speaks in his favor. This vision, this involvement of new people so that they can take the team forward, is a capability that I believe Otmar has’.
Another available figure is former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto, but Schumacher believes it would not be logical for him to move to Haas: ‘I can’t imagine Mattia Binotto doing the same. And he is more associated with Haas these days, although I don’t know how it would work with Andreas Seidl. Otmar knows much better small organizations and can achieve a lot with them. What sense would it make to bring someone to Haas who previously managed 1,000 people?’
