Guenther Steiner has left Haas with fast impact forward of the 2024 F1 season following the workforce’s disappointing performances.
Ayao Komatsu has been promoted from engineering director to workforce principal forward of the brand new season, which begins with the Bahrain Grand Prix – dwell Sky Sports activities F1 from February 28 to March 2.
Steiner, who was considered one of Netflix’s behind-the-scenes stars Drive to outlive sequence, has been in control of Haas for the reason that workforce joined F1 in 2016, however the American outfit have struggled in current seasons and completed final within the Constructors’ Championship final 12 months.
Sky Sports activities Information understands that Steiner’s contract was not renewed after it expired on the finish of 2023 as a result of the Italian and the workforce had completely different visions for the long run.
“I would like to start out by thanking Guenther Steiner for all his arduous work during the last decade and I want him success sooner or later,” stated Haas proprietor Gene Haas.
“Going ahead as a company, it was clear that we wanted to enhance our efficiency on the monitor. In appointing Ayao
Komatsu, as a workforce supervisor, we essentially have engineering on the coronary heart of our administration.”
Kevin Magnussen introduced out a crimson flag after spinning into the boundaries throughout ultimate observe for the Dutch GP – a lot to Guenther Steiner’s ire
Reacting to the shock information in a publish on X, Kevin Magnussen, who initially drove for the workforce in 2017-2020 earlier than returning in 2022, thanked Steiner for signing him twice and stated the years “have been each enjoyable and intensely difficult – however by no means boring”.
Sky Sports activities F1 commentator David Croft stated: “Components 1 has misplaced an enormous character, a highly regarded character and somebody who considerably transcended the game.
“He was the quantity three workforce principal behind Christian Horner and Toto Wolff [in terms of publicity] and that is good for the game the followers wish to affiliate with a workforce like Haas as a result of they actually like what Guenther stands for. That is the weakest and I will take it to the large boys. I hope it returns in a special kind someday sooner or later.”
Haas completed final within the Constructors’ Championship in 2021 with Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin as drivers, earlier than enhancing to eighth the next 12 months, however dropped to the again of the grid in 2023 regardless of the expertise of Nico Hulkenberg and Magnussen .
Hulkenberg’s seventh in Australia was the spotlight of final 12 months for Haas, alongside Magnussen’s three-place 10th.
Why is Steiner gone now and what void does his exit go away?
Craig Slater is joined by David Croft and former F1 World Champion Damon Hill to debate the potential reasoning behind Guenther Steiner’s departure from Haas and the affect it might have on the workforce within the 2024 season.
Craig Slater, Sky Sports activities Information reporter: “Lastly, Gene Haas pulled the set off right here and he isn’t renewing Guenther’s contract.
“There have been differing opinions on the best way ahead for the Haas workforce. I used to be advised that Steiner was determined for important funding within the Banbury manufacturing unit and total workforce infrastructure. He believed that they had outgrown that facility and wanted to speculate slightly extra to advance the workforce. I used to be advised that Gene, and I will attempt to discover that ending, wasn’t going to spend the cash, however he wished to see the workforce moving into the fitting route earlier than he did. is once more spending closely on contemporary gear and increasing the infrastructure at that base in Banbury.”
David Croft, Sky Sports activities F1 commentator: “It is Gene Haas’ workforce and Guenther Steiner obtained a lot of the consideration and I am certain that did not sit effectively with the workforce proprietor. However that is no motive to eliminate somebody, their efficiency on the monitor. final 12 months might have been a part of the image as effectively.
“Wonderful on a Saturday when it comes to how Nico Hulkenberg managed to get into the highest 10 in qualifying, however a part of the explanation for his or her nice qualifying performances undermined their on-track efficiency on a Sunday, so they’d stroll again throughout the sphere. . That, to an proprietor like Gene Haas, most likely wasn’t acceptable. Ending backside of the desk just isn’t what Gene Haas would need. So Guenther I believe paid the worth for that.”
Damon Hill, Sky Sports activities F1 pundit: “Guenther has change into a little bit of a star due to the favored Netflix sequence and his behind-the-scenes footage.
“He is an enormous character. Very decided, assured and certain of what he says. Possibly that is a part of the combination. He needs to win, I do not know what the true motive for leaving is, however it’s an actual loss. to the game. The followers love him they favored it, it attracted folks, it was controversial, it was open, however perhaps it did not get the outcomes that Gene Haas wished.”
Steiner’s time in F1 is coming to an finish
Steiner labored in F1 lengthy earlier than Haas, first as managing director of Jaguar from 2001 to 2003, and within the early years of Purple Bull as director of technical operations from 2005.
In 2016, Steiner-led Haas joined F1 and made an instantaneous affect, with Romain Grosjean ending sixth within the workforce’s first race.
They completed eighth within the Constructors’ Championship of their first two seasons and their greatest marketing campaign got here in 2018, the place they completed the 12 months fifth.
Grosjean completed fourth on the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix with Magnussen fifth, which stays the workforce’s greatest outcome. Steiner turned a success with F1 followers on Drive to Survive as his typically flamboyant and outspoken persona was liked by new audiences studying extra in regards to the sport.
Nevertheless, on-track outcomes have been largely disappointing for Haas since 2019, with Steiner’s eight seasons in cost coming to an finish on Wednesday.
“We have had some successes, however we have to be constant in attaining outcomes that assist us obtain our broader targets as a company,” Haas continued.
“We have to be environment friendly with the sources we’ve, however enhancing our design and engineering functionality is vital to our success as a workforce. I sit up for working with Ayao and guaranteeing we maximize our potential – this really displays my want. to compete correctly in Components 1″.
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A giant problem for Komatsu
Komatsu has been concerned in motorsport since 2003, first with British American Racing (BAR), Renault and Lotus, then Haas.
He was Grosjean’s race engineer at Lotus throughout the Frenchman’s most profitable years in F1 in 2012 and 2013.
When Grosjean joined Haas in 2016, Komatsu adopted as chief race engineer. The 47-year-old will now oversee all competitors components of the enterprise as workforce principal, together with total workforce technique and on-track efficiency.
A European-based Chief Working Officer may even be appointed to handle all non-competition issues and departments on the Haas facility in Banbury.
“I’m naturally very excited to have the chance to be a Staff Principal on the MoneyGram Haas F1 Staff,” stated Komatsu.
“Having been with the workforce since its monitor debut in 2016, I’m clearly passionately invested in its success in Components 1. I sit up for main our program and the assorted aggressive operations domestically to make sure we are able to construct a which produces improved efficiency on the monitor.
Sky Sports activities’ Craig Slater caught up with former Haas workforce principal Guenther Steiner over Christmas lunch to debate F1
“We’re a performance-based enterprise. Clearly, we have not been aggressive sufficient these days, which has been a supply of frustration for all of us.
“We have now had wonderful help from Gene and our varied companions and we wish to mirror their enthusiasm with an improved product on the monitor. We have now an amazing workforce of individuals in Kannapolis, Banbury and Maranello and collectively I do know we are able to obtain the sort of outcomes we’re able to.”
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