“When you need efficiency, you look at everything.” That was Guenther Steiner’s philosophy when running Haas in Formula 1’s cost-cap era. With teams struggling to manage their budgets, Steiner believed in cutting costs wherever possible. One of his most controversial decisions was reducing Haas’ pit wall seats from six to three, saving an estimated $250,000 per season.

For Steiner, this was a logical move. “Do you have six people out there [on the pit wall]? Or a quarter of a million on car updates? I know what we’re doing,” he had said in 2023. At the time, Haas was struggling financially and had to make tough decisions to survive. However, Haas’ on-track results never justified the cost-cutting. The team remained a backmarker, struggling to keep up with the midfield.

Now, a year after Steiner’s departure, Haas has decided to roll back that decision and expand their pit wall again. The first day of Formula 1’s 2025 pre-season testing in Bahrain revealed a key change in Haas’ setup. The team, which had operated with only three pit wall seats for two years, now features a larger pit wall once again, a change made possible because of Haas’ improved financial situation and a fresh strategic approach under the new team principal Ayao Komatsu.

However, the latest decision has left fans fuming over Steiner. The F1 community has not been kind to Guenther Steiner. Once a fan-favorite due to his blunt personality and frequent appearances on Drive to Survive, he is now facing backlash for his management style. A user summed up the frustration and wrote, “Guenther was the problem. He always told the team they had to perform better, but that’s not how you build a team.”

Steiner’s leadership style was based on tough love. He frequently criticized the team, drivers, and staff for poor performance. This approach made him popular among fans who enjoyed his raw honesty, but it did little to improve Haas’ results. On the other hand, Komatsu has focused on teamwork and efficiency, yielding better results in just a short time. To add to that, Steiner’s work with cost-cutting in a time when F1 was imposing the cost cap certainly didn’t make him popular. 

In 2023, he defended his move and said, “With three seats, we can cover what we need to cover and rearrange. It’s saving money to put into development.” At the time, Haas was not competitive and needed every possible financial advantage. The team had to work within the budget cap while trying to improve its performance. Adding to his troubles was a string of drivers who kept crashing. Mick Schumacher’s crash bill in his rookie season went over $2 million and Nikita Mazepin’s 2021 season became legendary among fans for his wrecks. 

However, since his departure, things have changed dramatically for Haas. In their first season with Komatsu, a solid finish in the Constructors’ Championship earned them a massive $87 million. That financial boost has allowed them to restore a full-size pit wall. The team has also expanded its workforce, hiring new personnel to prepare for the 2026 regulations. Many believe that Haas’ recent growth has exposed Steiner’s approach as flawed. While his decisions may have been necessary at the time, they didn’t lead to success. With more resources and a fresh leadership approach under Ayao Komatsu, the team is already making significant strides.

Fans don’t see eye-to-eye with Gunther Steiner’s leadership approach!

The return of the larger pit wall has sparked heated reactions from fans. Many are now calling out Gunther Steiner’s leadership, claiming his cost-cutting approach did more harm than good. While he was a fan-favorite character on Drive to Survive, his actual performance as a team principal is being condemned. A fan summed up the sentiments and said, “Guenther was only good for Netflix.” Even Guenther Steiner couldn’t help but admit his part in DTS put Haas on the map for most fans. He even went as far to fight a lawsuit against Haas about it, before both parties settled last weekend. His blunt, no-filter personality made him a fan favorite. However, some argue that his entertainment value overshadowed his actual results. Haas remained a backmarker throughout his tenure, and fans now believe his leadership wasn’t as effective as it seemed on camera

Another user echoed his sentiments and said, “We all love Steiner as a character, but you need to recognize that Haas and Red Bull did way better after he left.” Notably, Steiner was a part of Red Bull when they first acquired Jaguar. Steiner and Christian Horner worked closely up until 2008, when the former decided to move to the US to help Red Bull set up their NASCAR team. Coincidently, Red Bull’s form improved after that year, with 2010 even bringing their first Drivers and Constructors titles. While Sebastian Vettel and Adrian Newey’s arrival helped, but Red Bull had also drastically changed their managed when Steiner left for NASCAR.  

Meanwhile, some fans also questioned his presence in the Haas team and felt that he was the biggest issue there. “Ayao proved in one season that Guenther was the biggest issue Haas had,” wrote a user. Why does it seem so? Under Komatsu’s leadership, Haas secured P7 in 2024, improved car development, and gained financial stability. In just one season, Haas seems more structured and competitive than it ever was under Steiner. Fans see this as proof that Gunther Steiner’s leadership was holding the team back. “Ayao proved in one season that Guenther was the biggest issue Haas had,” another user echoed the sentiments.