F1 News: Guenther Steiner On Moving To Ferrari - "The Desire I Have"
As the Formula 1 managerial carousel spun rapidly in 2022, Guenther Steiner, Haas' team principal, firmly buckled himself in. He has no plans to jump ship and take on a new role with another team. Despite his enduring relationship with Ferrari, Steiner remains unswayed in his decision.
After celebrating his 150th race as a Formula 1 team principal, Steiner has a clear message: He's staying put. He's been at the helm of the satellite team since their entry into the sport in 2016. The changing tide at the top of McLaren, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, and Williams, along with the retirement announcement of Franz Tost from AlphaTauri, didn't tempt Steiner to entertain a role elsewhere, despite his close ties with the Scuderia.
Haas' longstanding association with Ferrari makes this stance rather surprising, with Haas being a dedicated engine and parts customer since their inception. In fact, its close relationship with Ferrari was what enabled it to enter the F1 ring, and since then, Steiner has worked alongside Maurizio Arrivabene, Mattia Binotto, and Fred Vasseur to bring Haas closer to the front of the grid than ever before.
However, when queried by the UK's Mirror Sport about possibly leading Ferrari, Steiner was crystal clear: "No."
Steiner, after the success of Drive to Survive, has been the official face of the team and a superstar in his own right. And while Gene Haas (the guy on the phone) actually owns the team, Steiner is synonymous with Haas.
Fortunately, the Italian principal is in no rush to leave:
“What I would love to do is make Haas win!” he said.
“That is the desire I have, which is bigger than going into a team that is winning and just being an administrator of it. I am a Haas man – I don’t know for life, but for the foreseeable.”
Guenther continued, in his usual humourous manner:
“You’d rather not have an F1 team because it’s a liability as well! If it goes wrong, I don’t have the means to keep it alive. I’m very conscious about that.
“The passion comes from the idea I had to make the team. I didn’t have the money and still don’t, but I found Mr Haas who had the passion and had the money to do it. And he let us do it.
“If you found something, I think you’re more attached to it than when you’re called in to be the administrator for a period of time. It’s a difference – even if the team isn’t mine, it’s still my brainchild.
“Without Mr. Haas, we couldn’t do it, but we can do it and therefore I’ve got this passion to bring the team to a place where, one day, it can be without me.”
Confirming his dedication to the cause, he ends:
“We’re not there yet! If you put someone else in it will continue, it will not stop without me – but I’ve still got things which I want to do.”