Haas did not renew with Günther Steiner as team principal, opting for a change after the much lower-than-expected results in recent years – in 2023 they finished last in the Constructors’ Championship. It was a somewhat surprising decision, which leaves the paddock without one of its most media figures in recent history.
The responsible commented to Sky Sports F1, when asked if he was surprised: ‘Obviously, no one was happy with the results in 2023, but I didn’t expect this to happen. I knew that the renewal of my contract was coming and when a renewal is coming, it can happen that it is not renewed’.
About the moment he learned of the decision, Steiner explained: ‘It was a phone call from Gene Haas to me. I was in Italy on my Christmas break and he called me between Christmas and New Year’.
Some speculate that the fame he acquired, thanks in large part to the Drive to Survive series, surpassed that of Haas itself and Gene Haas, contributing to his departure. Steiner admitted that it may have been a problem:
– Looking back now, it may have been. But in the end, that celebrity gave a lot of exposure to the team, brought very good sponsors like MoneyGram because they liked it because they could use it. There are always positive and negative aspects in any deal, so maybe there were some positives and someone brought the negatives. These are things that you don’t always plan because I wasn’t here looking to be a celebrity’.
The very different opinions of Steiner and Gene Haas are conveyed as another factor that contributed to the separation, which the Italian commented on: ‘I would say that what is a fair assessment is when you look at the other teams, where they are going since the budget cap came into effect, many teams – all of them – invested in infrastructure. So, it’s not spending money, it’s investing to use the budget cap, the operational budget cap, as best as possible to put money into making the car fast. Some people started in 2020, 2021, some started last year, but everyone is doing it. I think that was one of the things. I look at the others and suggest what needs to be done’.
Gene Haas has already assured that Steiner’s departure was due to the performances below desired, even admitting to feeling some ‘embarrassment’ with the results. The now former team principal reacted: ‘I think everyone can choose his words, but you need to think about the people who work for you and who work hard. Obviously, when you say these things, you end up having to live with the consequences’.
