Recently departed Haas Formula 1 boss Guenther Steiner has not been given the opportunity to say goodbye to the team’s members, according to Sky F1’s Craig Slater.
Haas announced on Wednesday that Steiner, who’d been with the side since its inception, had exited to be replaced by Trackside Engineering Director Ayao Komatsu.
Team owner Gene Haas explained that the “need to improve our on-track performances” was the overriding reason behind the decision to not retain Steiner’s services.
The American outfit had peaked with fifth place in the Constructors’ standings in 2018 but had regressed since then and slumped to the bottom of the championship in the most recent campaign, having only amassed a solitary point across the final 17 grands prix.
Steiner had grown to become one of the most popular team bosses through his combination of witty comments and stark honesty on the Netflix Drive to Survive series.
Sky Sports F1’s lead commentator David Croft believes the sport has lost a “great character” but admits that Steiner has “paid the price” for the recent downturn in results.
“Firstly, it’s Gene Haas’ team, and Guenther Steiner was getting the lion’s share of the attention, and I’m sure that didn’t go down hugely well with the team owner,” he said.
“But that’s no reason to get rid of somebody. Their performance on track last year might have been part of the picture as well.
“Great on a Saturday, in terms of the way that Nico Hulkenberg, for instance, managed to get into the top 10 in qualifying, but then part of the reason for their great qualifying performances undermines their performance on the track on a Sunday, so they would go backwards through the field.
“And that for an owner like Gene Haas was probably not acceptable, finishing bottom of the table. That’s not what Gene Haas would want, so Guenther I think has paid the price for that.
“He [Steiner] has got other business interests, I’m sure he will be absolutely fine in that respect, but Formula 1 has lost a massive character, a very popular character, and someone who transcended the sport somewhat.
“He was number three team principal I think behind Christian Horner and Toto Wolff [in terms of publicity] and that’s good for the sport, that the fans want to associate themselves with a team like Haas, because they really like what Guenther stands for and that’s the underdog taking it to the big boys.
“I really think we have lost a great character around the paddock and one who I hope returns in another guise somewhere in the future.”
After ex-F1 driver Martin Brundle noted the absence of quotes from Steiner in the press release, Slater has revealed the Italian has not had a chance yet to bid his farewells.
Slater also divulged that sources at the team had told him Steiner’s exit had been known dating back to the end of last year, which is when the 58-year-old was also informed.
“I learned about this at the weekend, but some people I’ve spoken to say they’ve known about it for a couple of weeks now,” Slater disclosed on the Sky F1 podcast.
“And when I did check in with the Haas team today, with people I speak to there, they’ve told me that Guenther Steiner found out about this towards the end of December.
“He hasn’t had an opportunity to go and say his goodbyes at the factory. He is still in the UK at the moment and that’s interesting as well.
“But as far as I can glean, a surprise to him that he would not be getting his contract renewed. And that’s why I suppose we have to be careful about our wording here.
“We can’t say he’s been sacked, because his contract had come to an end and Gene has decided not to renew that.”
He added: “People have been telling me, from sources inside the factory, that there’ll be a lot of disappointment that Guenther has gone.
“And then there was a little bit of a coterie picking up on what Crofty said there, that were maybe feeding the line that why is Guenther releasing a book and getting involved in a US comedy series and doing all this Netflix stuff, when the team are flatlining and flatlining at the bottom as well?”
Slater has also questioned whether Komatsu, formerly of BAR and Lotus, will be able to inspire an improvement for the Kannapolis squad without extra investment.
“But it’s a big call,” he continued. “And if they’re not going to provide extra finance to rebuild the factory and all that, how is Ayao Komatsu going to do any better?
“Apparently Gene Haas is saying, ‘This is not a signal I’m about to sell the team. I’m in it for the long haul, don’t even want big new investors.’”
