Steiner takes aim at F1 team boss in UNUSUAL football comparison

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Steiner takes aim at F1 team boss in UNUSUAL football comparison

The Italian believes the two sports are becoming more alike

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 21 January 2024 12:57

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Former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner has said that some team owners 'don't understand' that a so-called new manager bounce is not as relevant in F1 as other sports.

The Italian was recently replaced in his role by former chief race engineer at the team Ayao Komatsu, following a season in which Haas finished rock bottom of the standings.

Steiner had been the team principal since Haas' inception into the sport back in 2016, and team owner Gene Haas cited the lack of a podium in that time as one of the reasons for Steiner's sacking.

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Komatsu has already revealed what he will change within the team's ethos in order to avoid another 'embarrassing' season.

Guenther Steiner was sacked by Gene Haas following a poor 2023 season

Haas finished rock bottom of the constructors' championship in 2023

Ayao Komatsu is the man who has taken over from Guenther Steiner at Haas

Haas' new manager bounce

Now, Steiner has drawn on comparisons with other sports - namely football - to give his thoughts on why Haas may have sacked him just two months before the start of the 2024 season.

"Because I think some people which own the teams – corporates, individuals – they don’t really understand," he told Autosport.

“Formula 1, in 2024, in my opinion, looking at Bahrain this year, it’s pretty late [for a management change to have an impact],” Steiner said.

“You cannot change that anymore – what happens there, it’s done. The damage is done.

“You need to look what are the plans for 2026/2027. And people don’t want to hear that. Because everything is about the next result.

“As you say, it’s not like football where you change a few players and you can make a big difference," he continued.

“In Formula 1, you cannot do that. In Formula 1, it’s just I think the understanding is not out there."

F1 Haas Guenther Steiner Ayao Komatsu Gene Haas Haas Formula 1 team