Steiner admits he stayed at Haas 'two years too long'

Former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner has admitted he remained with the American outfit "two years too long," conceding he should have walked away once ownership rejected his infrastructure vision. Speaking on the High Performance podcast, Steiner reflected on his departure at the end of 2023 and explained why he was ultimately relieved to have the exit decision made for him.

Why it matters:

Steiner's candor exposes the friction between ambitious team principals and cost-conscious ownership in Formula 1. His inability to secure facility investments at Haas left the team treading water despite his efforts since its 2016 debut, offering a sobering reminder that even strong leadership struggles to overcome institutional stagnation.

The details:

• Steiner said he should have left once it became clear Gene Haas would not commit to the upgrades he deemed essential. "What I should have done was just say, 'Hey, it's not working. I'm leaving now,'" he admitted, though he maintains he does not regret seeing out his contract.
• The split was sealed during a phone call that came while Steiner stood at a supermarket deli counter. He told his wife he was no longer with the team before they returned home for dinner, later sleeping soundly and waking "even happier" with a new world ahead.
• Steiner emphasized that his vision for the team differed fundamentally from the owner's direction, making the exit a welcome release rather than a painful setback.
• Since leaving F1 at the end of 2023, he has moved into television punditry, co-hosts The Red Flags Podcast, and acquired ownership of the KTM Tech3 MotoGP and Moto3 squad.

What's next:

Steiner seems settled in his post-Haas life, splitting time between broadcasting and his motorcycle racing venture. His reflections offer a rare window into the burnout of leading an F1 team without full backing, reinforcing that his departure—however sudden—came as a personal relief.