Guenther Steiner Effect; F1 Unable to Bid Him Goodbye Despite His Ouster From Haas

“Now we are a fu****g bunch of w*nkers. A bunch of fu****g clowns,” said Guenther Steiner, talking to Gene Haas in a private conversation after both their cars crashed out of the GP. Netflix captured this as they rolled it out in Drive to Survive. However, who knew that this line would become an iconic one, making Steiner a household name in America? However, the man, who is a bigger entity than a lot of drivers, had to bid his team goodbye. Does that mean we will not see more of him?

Absolutely not. You can take Guenther out of F1 but not F1 out of Guenther. Very recently, in a thrilling race, we saw a lot of things that excited us beyond imagination. My top 2 were Carlos Sainz as the race winner and Guenther Steiner as the post-race interviewer. The ex-Haas TP, who was famous for his hilarious demeanor and candid takes, had been the TP since 2016, and that spell came to an abrupt end in 2023.

Why did Guenther Steiner leave Haas?

The only American team on the track is also one that has constantly competed for the last spot. On many occasions, it felt as though the team would breathe its last (like many other newcomers in F1) but Steiner kept the team afloat. Moreover, the team kept making all the efforts, namely sponsorships like Uralkali to firing the one who brought the sponsorship (Nikita Mazepin), bringing old buddy Kevin Magnussen out of retirement, and a year later firing Mick Schumacher in favor of Nico Hulkenberg. But every step just proved to be only good for a couple of points.

Failing to break the shackles and stamp of the backmarker, the team management took a tough call and shocked the world. Guenther Steiner’s contract wasn’t renewed for 2024. In January, Steiner came to the Autosport International Show in Birmingham, UK, and vocalized his thoughts. He began by expressing his gratitude. Talking to David Croft, he said, “Can I start with just something from my side? I didn’t have the chance to say thank you to a few people when I left Haas F1. I would just like to thank all the team members which I couldn’t give a proper goodbye [to] when I left. I want to say also thank you to all the fans who supported Haas while I was there – it’s fantastic. It’s one of those occasions, with so many people here. Thanks for coming as well, [for me] to say thank you to everybody for the support I got and I’m getting.”

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He further added, “It stung [not being able to say goodbye to the team], but they all know me and that I still appreciate what they did. It would be nice to say, ‘Hey guys, thanks for all that you did’, because the team started very small, running on adrenaline a lot of times, and they did a good job. Obviously, it doesn’t make you happy not saying thank you, but I think I did it now.”

Steiner was replaced in favor of the team’s director of engineering, Ayao Komatsu. While it may be true that they have opted for a McLaren-like way by taking the technical route, Steiner’s presence would surely be missed.

What’s next in the store for Guenther Steiner?

The author of Surviving to Drive (Steiner) is not going away from F1. The man was seen interviewing the podium winners at the Australian GP. This was a sight not many expected. Still digesting the shock of having a non-Red Bull winner, the fans were pleasantly surprised to see ex-Haas TP on the screen. This may have been an experimental run, but there is massive good news in store.

Owing to his massive popularity, he has now been named as an ambassador for the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, which will see him make appearances throughout the event and play a hands-on role in the promotion of it. The Miami Grand Prix will take place from May 3-5 and will be the second of six sprint race weekends in F1 2024. Talking about his new role, Steiner said, “I’m excited to serve as an ambassador for the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix, which has become one of my favorite races of the year. I’ve seen first-hand the incredible growth Formula 1 has had in the United States and it has so much potential to continue growing, especially with races like Miami as part of the circuit. The event–which reflects the bold vision of the organizers–pairs American spectacle and F1 racing with a vibrant atmosphere at the track and throughout the city itself. I can’t wait to work with the team this May for what is guaranteed to be another fantastic event.”

Are you excited to see Guenther in the role of F1 Pundit and Miami GP ambassador?

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