Guenther Steiner Fires Brutal Taunts After Ayao Komatsu and Co’s Scandal in Monaco GP

Last year, Haas decided to replace Guenther Steiner with Ayao Komatsu as the German’s contract was ending. There were many differences in how Steiner and Gene Haas, the team boss, wanted to run the team, which led Haas to bring in Komatsu in 2023. This is the Japanese team’s first season in the sport, and the team is doing quite decent so far.

Nico Hulkenberg has been scoring valuable points for the team, bringing them to P7 in the Constructors Cup. However, his leadership took a hit at Monaco for having an illegal car, causing both drivers to retire from the Monaco GP. Steiner left the team unhappy in January, and when he saw the new leadership fail, he left subtle scoffs at the new principal.

Guenther Steiner takes shots at Haas’ disqualification at Monaco

Guenther Steiner was unhappy that his contract was not renewed after being loyal to the team for almost a decade. Now that Komatsu has been promoted to team principal, the team is doing better than some of the seasons under Steiner’s reign. However, Monaco came with its challenges as the car did not comply with the regulations, with the DRS slot being the issue.

According to the F1 regulations, the DRS slot for any vehicle should not be larger than 85 mm, a value that Haas exceeded. This led both cars to be disqualified from the race, and Haas received no points at Monaco. Looking at this, Guenther Steiner was quick to upload a story, taking a dig at Komatsu by uploading a picture of a measurement tape and writing, “Does anybody want to borrow my tape measure?”

Guenther Steiner is known to have a personality that does not hold back. This is seen in his time on air with Drive to Survive, where he became a fan-favorite celebrity. His candid reaction to his former team’s disqualification is not out of character, but surprising and funny, to say the least.

Formula 1 has always been a sport of cutthroat competition, and it’s always each man for himself. Teams can turn out to be anybody’s biggest adversary, and that’s what happened to the German when he got fired from a job he was loyal to. That being said, Steiner has moved on from the paddocks but remains in Formula 1. But things are not great between Haas and Steiner, as the former team principal took things to court.

Guenther Steiner has unfinished business with Haas

Steiner claims that Haas F1 has failed to pay him commissions owed to him over several years, as stipulated in his employment agreement. These commissions are believed to be related to deals or sponsorships that Steiner facilitated for the team during his tenure.

The former team principal alleges that Haas F1 continues to use his name and image for promotional material, including merchandise and the team’s official website, without his consent. Court papers have been filed in Mecklenburg, North Carolina, outlining Steiner’s grievances against Haas F1.

While specific details regarding the commissions are redacted from the court documents, it’s speculated that they are linked to sponsor deals that Steiner facilitated for the team during his tenure as team principal.

Looking at the relationship between the former principal and the team owner explains why such a blow was made on Instagram. Considering everything, do you think it was fair for Steiner to put out such a diss? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.