Guenther Steiner, the leader of the Haas F1 team for nearly ten years, was recently removed from his position just before the start of the 2024 F1 season. Steiner, an Italian-American who played a crucial role in establishing the F1 squad in 2016, disagreed with Haas regarding the necessary investment in the team, which ultimately led to his departure. The 58-year-old expressed his relief after leaving Haas, stating that a significant burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Steiner had successfully navigated the American team through challenging times, including the Covid-19 pandemic, but was unable to comprehend Gene Haas’ reluctance to bring in new investments. Despite respecting the owner’s perspective on the future of the squad, Steiner believed that this direction would not lead to success.
Replacing Steiner as the new Team Principal of Haas is an individual named Komatsu, whose views align more closely with Gene Haas regarding the team’s future. While Steiner acknowledged and respected the American owner’s opinions, he firmly believed that this chosen path would ultimately lead the team nowhere. Losing both Guenther Steiner and the Technical Chief within a short span of time puts the Haas F1 team in a difficult position as they approach the upcoming season. As a result, Komatsu admitted that Haas would likely find themselves at the bottom of the pecking order in the early stages of the year.
Facing tough competition from teams like and the Sauber-run Stake F1 team, Haas must find a new development strategy that allows them to progress without requiring additional investment. The departure of Guenther Steiner will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the Haas F1 team. The new team boss, Ayao Komatsu, will face immense pressure to ensure that the American team does not fall behind their rivals in the weeks to come. However, it appears that this year will be a challenging one for Gene Haas’ squad.
According to the Source firstsportz.com