P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Why Steiner’s departure is a big loss for Haas F1 team
Over the past two years, most Formula 1 teams have experienced changes in their team principals, with the exception of Mercedes and Red Bull. Steiner, along with others like Binotto, Capito, and Szafnauer, was ousted from his position under less than favorable circumstances, and Ayao Komatsu took over at Haas. This high level of turnover in team leadership gives the sport a resemblance to football, where managers are often replaced due to poor team performance. Although there are various factors and long lead times in Formula 1, team principals and technical directors are often held accountable for underwhelming results. However, Steiner’s case is different because he was seen as the face of the Haas team, having built it up from scratch and leaving a significant impact with his charismatic personality. Steiner’s experience with Jaguar and Red Bull, as well as his success in NASCAR, contributed to his idea of partnering with Ferrari and utilizing their mechanical parts within the regulations, making the project more viable. Haas, who was already successful in NASCAR and eager to expand his business, became the ideal candidate to fund this endeavor. Despite starting off on a solid foundation and achieving promising results in their debut race, Haas has struggled to maintain consistency and has mainly settled for mid-field positions in the championship.
