Steiner fires Formula 1 warning over Honda withdrawal
Steiner fires Formula 1 warning over Honda withdrawal
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has warned Honda's withdrawal from Formula 1 may not be a unique scenario in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Japanese power unit manufacturer announced its departure ahead of the Eifel Grand Prix, shocking the sport following the rapid improvement made to its programme.
Steiner believes people should not be surprised by the announcement, pointing to the exodus of manufacturers in the late 2000s during the world financial crisis.
"I think we need to be aware that this happens any day with anybody," he said.
"You need to think back, I don’t know if it was 2008, 2009 when three manufacturers pulled out. From one day to the other, Formula 1 was a different world.
"We don’t have to forget what happened this March. A pandemic came along and all of a sudden, we were in a bad spot, all of us.
"But we keep on forgetting that this thing can happen in Formula 1. This is not an essential business.
"Each company can decide to pull out any day. As much as we’re surprised, we shouldn’t be surprised because again, this can happen tomorrow."
One of the reasons outlined by Honda as to why it brought to an end its F1 operation was the refocusing of personnel to a carbon-neutrality goal.
Steiner believes the sport needs to ensure it is looking at the sustainability of the business, not just searching for the ultimate technologies, saying "we need to get better.
"Instead of just trying to always get the last bit out of technology and everything, we should also make sure that we have got a sustainable business and not only a sustainable technology," he added.
"Why would you run a normal business with this big risk that somebody can just get out of a contract without doing anything?
"I think we need always to be aware of that and I think we have got a lot more aware of it, but we are very good in forgetting very quick, because all of a sudden, everything is good again.
"We are back racing, okey dokey, let’s go racing, everything will be like it was before. Not always, that will not happen."
Before you go...
Time for critics to now take Renault seriously - Abiteboul
Portimão turn-one choice could harm racing - Russell
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Cullen relationship blossoms with new star after moving on from Hamilton
- 51 minutes ago
Hamilton dealt major Newey blow as shock COMPLICATION revealed
- 1 hour ago
F1 News Today: Incredible Verstappen exit clause reignites F1 rival talks as Mercedes milestone reveals shock RED livery
- 3 hours ago
Horner outlines Ricciardo target to save F1 dream as major Newey announcement made - GPFans F1 Recap
- Yesterday 23:57
Mercedes reveal shock RED livery to celebrate historic milestone
- Yesterday 22:57
Ricciardo makes five-race admission in bid to survive F1 axe
- Yesterday 21:57
Related news
Schumacher urges F1 star to make way for Bearman in 2025
F1 team announce SIGNIFICANT change of direction
F1 star mounts pressure on Bearman amid rumours on future
F1 team boss 'gutted' to miss beloved football club in historic FA Cup semi-final
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860