Günther Steiner, former team principal, now a consultant for various television channels, says he should have left the Haas team well before the end of his mandate.
The former team principal, who left his role at the end of last year, believes signs pointing to his departure were already evident 18 months earlier. Günther Steiner was a key figure in the launch and development of the Haas team in Formula 1, but also in the success of the Netflix series.
“I have no hard feelings towards the team “, he told the Sky F1 podcast. “You understand, when you are no longer there. When you're in the race, you have tunnel vision – 'I have to do this'. You never wonder why I do this, it doesn't make sense. When we look back…”
“I should have left in the middle of 2022. Things started to get difficult after that. I didn't see how we could progress. We were going to the races and we were so happy to [marquer] one point. But how long can we do this? We can do it for a long time, but not me.”
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“I need to aim for something bigger than getting a point. When you build an F1 team, you want to establish it, then score points, then get on the podium. You have to have a goal.”
“When Covid hit, everything stopped. Every day was the same, we just did our job”, concluded the former team director.
Haas F1's 2024 season has seen the team achieve better-than-expected results, highlighted by consistent points finishes and progress in car development. Despite prospects from the back of the grid, Haas has progressed throughout the season, currently clinging to seventh place in the Constructors' Championship with 46 points.
Under the leadership of new Team Principal Ayao Komatsu, Haas has turned its attention to consistency in its racing results. The improvements and strategic changes marked a decisive turning point for the American team. With three Grands Prix remaining in the season, Haas can still dream of sixth place in the constructors' standings, currently occupied by Alpine.
Read also: Günther Steiner looks in detail at Romain Grosjean's terrible accident
