Guenther Steiner confirms 'no relationship' with Gene Haas since F1 exit

Former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner has confirmed he currently has "no relationship" with team owner Gene Haas nearly three years after his departure from the American squad. Speaking on the High Performance podcast, the Italian-American traced the slow collapse of their partnership back to the team's struggles in the post-COVID era.

Why it matters:

Steiner was shown the door at the end of 2023 after eight seasons as the public face of Haas, replaced by Ayao Komatsu. His account offers a rare look at how team principal-owner relationships can fray not through explosive arguments, but through prolonged silence, offering a valuable lesson on the precarious nature of leadership in privately backed squads.

The details:

• Steiner explained that he and Haas saw eye to eye in the early years, but their communication began to fade after the team struggled to recover from the 2020 COVID crisis.
• Disagreements had always been part of their working relationship and were typically resolved, yet eventually the dialogue stopped entirely.
• Steiner described the end result not as a feud, but as a professional void, noting he holds no grudge and that both men have happily moved on.
• He accepted Haas's decision not to renew his contract, acknowledging the owner's absolute authority over the team's future direction.

What's next:

With Komatsu still leading Haas into the 2026 season, Steiner's reflections serve as a stark reality check on Formula 1 leadership. His calm acceptance underscores a simple truth that every paddock insider understands: team principals may run the day-to-day operations, but owners ultimately hold the power to end the partnership at any moment.