Gunther Steiner leaving HASS

Antony Snook · Jan 11, 2024

It is sad to hear Gunther potty mouth is leaving HASS. At the end of the day the team is useless and not getting investment. Even Williams got Gulf and is on the way up the grid. The Bottom line when the team hits hard times Gunther has to deal with the Media. Just Like Otomar Sanfusser at Aston Martin. Drive to Survive will not be same without Gunther.

Eric Rowland · Jan 11, 2024

graham123 · Jan 11, 2024

Gonna miss him, a personality in a sport devoid of them..... Hope he pops up somewhere soon.

assistant manager to wolf would be entertaining

Pete Conway · Jan 11, 2024

Gunther was/is a favorite of mine, but, he lacked the engineering background that most team principals have, I can imagine board meetings where he would spend most of the time ducking as the majority of design and engineering talk went over his head.
I hope that Ayao Komatsu can steer the team in the right direction as both Kevin and Nico deserve a break, and Gene deserves a little success himself.
And I hope even more that Gunther will return to the pitlane with another team... though in what capacity I don't know.

Ruttman98 · Jan 11, 2024

This piece provided some thoughtful analysis yesterday:

Pete Conway · Jan 12, 2024

Ruttman98 said:
This piece provided some thoughtful analysis yesterday:

Good piece, though the bit at the end about the suggested Andretti take over is worrying, for as far as I can see this would play into the hands of the F1 'business' and against the F1 'sport'
If the F1 management and the teams win the fight and keep the racing for just 10 teams then the 'sport' part is truly dead, and the exclusive boys club will remain in charge with an even tighter grip.
If the fans don't like it... get some new fans.

Ruttman98 · Jan 12, 2024

Pete Conway said:
Good piece, though the bit at the end about the suggested Andretti take over is worrying, for as far as I can see this would play into the hands of the F1 'business' and against the F1 'sport'
If the F1 management and the teams win the fight and keep the racing for just 10 teams then the 'sport' part is truly dead, and the exclusive boys club will remain in charge with an even tighter grip.
If the fans don't like it... get some new fans.

Agree. Liberty Media's and the existing teams' collective greed goes against the competitive spirit.

Antony Snook · Jan 13, 2024

Pete Conway said:
Gunther was/is a favorite of mine, but, he lacked the engineering background that most team principals have, I can imagine board meetings where he would spend most of the time ducking as the majority of design and engineering talk went over his head.
I hope that Ayao Komatsu can steer the team in the right direction as both Kevin and Nico deserve a break, and Gene deserves a little success himself.
And I hope even more that Gunther will return to the pitlane with another team... though in what capacity I don't know.

Flavio Briatori ran Benetton with no Enginering expirence. He was in Benneton clothing and marketing. He just had people bellow him who new what they where doing. Management is about finding stuff to do and geting the most skilled person to do it. And making shore it gets done without stalling other departments.

Pete Conway · Jan 13, 2024

Antony Snook said:
Flavio Briatori ran Benetton with no Enginering expirence. He was in Benneton clothing and marketing. He just had people bellow him who new what they where doing. Management is about finding stuff to do and geting the most skilled person to do it. And making shore it gets done without stalling other departments.

The end of the eighties was all a very long time ago, things have changed far too much for that argument to hold any water, he is a character but that isn't enough, though he did study Engineering he dropped out unfinished, and, I believe that Gene Haas began to doubt his commitment to foreseeable future in the team.