F1 Rumour: Guenther Steiner's Hidden Reason Behind Haas Exit Revealed
As per Dutch F1 reporter Jack Plooij, Guenther Steiner shared that he departed from Haas in late 2023 because team owner Gene Haas declined to offer him a stake in the team, despite his efforts in securing a $20 million sponsorship.
Key Takeaways:
- Guenther Steiner reportedly left Haas in late 2023 after requesting a stake in the team, which team owner Gene Haas denied, despite Steiner securing a $20 million sponsorship.
- Steiner's departure came as a surprise at the beginning of 2024, and Ayao Komatsu was named as his replacement. Haas expressed dissatisfaction with the team's performance, finishing at the bottom of the Constructors' Championship in 2023.
- Despite Haas and Steiner's differing accounts of the departure, Steiner has already taken on new roles in the F1 community, working as a pundit for German broadcaster RTL and contributing to the Australian Grand Prix coverage on Network 10.
Steiner's tenure with the team ended with the surprising announcement that he would be leaving after the expiration of his contract. Ayao Komatsu, Haas' trackside engineering director, was named Steiner's successor.
Haas Press Image
Haas explicitly expressed dissatisfaction with the team's performance, as they landed at the bottom of the Constructors' Championship in 2023, failing to meet the expected standards.
However, since 2016, Steiner played a vital role in establishing the foundation and securing essential technical partnerships with Ferrari and Dallara, ensuring that the team was well-equipped to participate in Formula 1.
Plooij revealed that Steiner informed him about his request for shares in the team after bringing in a $20 million sponsorship deal. Speaking on Ziggo Sport’s Race Cafe program, he said:
“Guenther and I spoke at the beginning of the week, but we were not allowed to ask how it actually went with Haas and what he was going to do.
“Guenther found a $20 million sponsor, but he told Gene Haas that he wanted shares in the team to stay and continue the relationship. Haas, however, did not accept, and so Steiner himself left the team.”
Though the claims from Plooij could be surprising, it is important to note that this version is way different from what Steiner revealed as the reason for his Haas exit. He described the unexpected call from Gene Haas, where the decision was conveyed not to extend his contract. Recognizing Haas's authority and the contract's expiration, led to a brief and somewhat strange conversation over the phone.
Despite their decade-long collaboration, Steiner accepted the situation and expressed readiness to move forward, highlighting his sense of disbelief in the unfolding circumstances at Haas.
Moving forward, Steiner has already embraced new roles within the F1 community with German broadcaster RTL, where he will analyze Formula 1 Grands Prix on TV, apart from contributing to the Australian Grand Prix coverage on Network 10.
