Guenther Steiner was unexpectedly removed from the Haas F1 team before the start of the 2024 season. Now, Nico Hulkenberg has revealed that Steiner’s departure came as a surprise to the German driver.
The upcoming 2024 Formula 1 season is just a few weeks away. However, the lineup will not be the same after Steiner’s departure from the American team. Therefore, prior to the start of the season, Haas driver Hulkenberg shared his thoughts on Steiner leaving the sport.
Hulkenberg recalled that team owner informed him about Steiner’s departure from the team in a phone call around Christmas time. The news caught him off guard and he had no inkling of it beforehand. Despite Haas not achieving the best results in terms of statistics and numbers, the team had shown some improvement throughout the season.
In addition, the 36-year-old mentioned that he had frequent discussions with the former team principal and emphasized their strong professional and personal bond. Hulkenberg expressed his regret over Steiner leaving the sport, but acknowledged that he had to move on from the fact that the star would no longer be present.
Nico Hulkenberg did not hesitate to acknowledge Guenther Steiner’s significant role in the pinnacle of motorsport. Steiner made a valuable contribution to the success of the Netflix Docuseries ‘Drive to Survive’, a fact that Hulkenberg accepted.
Steiner has been removed from the Haas F1 team and it is unlikely that he will make a return anytime soon. Therefore, the German driver stated that he will miss Steiner’s presence and his approach on the grid. Despite the 58-year-old’s departure, Haas will have to thrive in the sport and continue rebuilding the team in Steiner’s absence, according to Hulkenberg.
Komatsu has been appointed as the new team principal at Haas F1 team following Steiner’s departure. Only time will tell the impact of Komatsu’s leadership on the team and where it will lead them. The 2023 season was undoubtedly a challenging one for the Haas racing team, so they will need to make a strong comeback in 2024.
According to the Source firstsportz.com