Steiner calls Red Bull exit 'lucky' as it opened door to US success

Former Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner says his departure from Red Bull Racing in the mid-2000s was a fortunate turn of events, as it paved the way for his successful career and business ventures in the United States. He credits the move with enabling him to build a manufacturing company and ultimately found the Haas Formula 1 team.

Why it matters:

Steiner's reflection highlights the unpredictable, non-linear career paths in motorsport, where a setback at one team can create a pivotal opportunity elsewhere. His story underscores the importance of cultural adaptation and local connections in securing the investment and trust needed to launch a major project like an F1 team, especially from a non-traditional base like the United States.

The details:

• Steiner worked as Red Bull's technical operations director in 2005 but left after Adrian Newey joined the team, creating a crowded technical leadership.
• He moved to North Carolina in 2006 to become technical director of Red Bull's NASCAR team, calling this his "lucky moment" as it fulfilled a long-held desire to live and work in the U.S.
• After his stint in NASCAR, he founded Fibreworks Composites in 2009, a manufacturing company that now employs 300 people.
• Steiner believes being physically present in the U.S. and understanding American business culture was essential to finding an investor (Gene Haas) and launching the Haas F1 team in 2014, a feat he doubts would have been possible from Europe.

What's next:

While Steiner is no longer the team principal at Haas, having been replaced by Ayao Komatsu for the 2024 season, his legacy is the American team he helped build from the ground up. His successful business and the team's continued presence on the grid stand as a direct result of what he initially perceived as a career setback at Red Bull.