Guenther Steiner doesn’t have any insider knowledge regarding Haas’ decision to leave NASCAR, nor does he believe that F1 necessarily needs an American team, describing the concept as a ‘publicity stunt.’
Questions came up about Haas’ Formula 1 team after Gene Haas announced his withdrawal from the NASCAR series. The team, co-owned with NASCAR legend Tony Stewart, stated, ‘We have made the difficult decision to close Stewart-Haas Racing at the conclusion of the 2024 season. The commitment needed to extract maximum performance while providing sustainability is incredibly demanding, and we’ve reached a point in our respective personal and business lives where it’s time to pass the torch.’
Despite concerns, Haas was quick to clarify that their NASCAR exit wouldn’t affect their Formula 1 operations. A team spokesperson said, ‘Business as usual for Haas F1 Team – Gene [is] fully engaged and committed.’
Former team boss Steiner, let go after a disappointing 2023 season, provided his perspective. ‘Did you not read the news? I’m not there any more,’ he told The Red Flag podcast. When pushed for speculation, he mentioned, ‘I don’t really know what Gene Haas intends to do. I think the NASCAR team, I don’t know if he got bored of it, if it didn’t make financial sense anymore and was just like
‘]
let’s close it.
Regarding whether he ever suggested focusing solely on F1, Steiner said, ‘No, because I don’t dislike NASCAR. I think if you watch it often enough, you can understand. I don’t watch the whole race to be honest, because sitting there for five hours is…’
Talk also turned to Andretti’s bid to join F1, with Ford recently supporting Andretti and General Motors. Andretti might still become the 11th team on the grid. While Haas’ statement quelled rumors that Andretti might buy their Ferrari-powered team, there’s still buzz about Andretti-Cadillac entering F1.
Laughing off the idea of needing an American team, Steiner said, ‘It’s a publicity stunt that we need an American team. Haas is an American team, it’s got an American license. F1 is such a global sport, the only national team is Ferrari. All the other ones… Would you know which license Red Bull is running under? It’s Austrian. But they have nothing in Austria. It’s such a global sport, I don’t think nationality counts so much like it does in other sports.’
While the future of Haas’ NASCAR involvement is concluded and their F1 commitment assured, the debate over the necessity and impact of national teams in Formula 1 persists. Guenther Steiner’s views highlight the complexities and global nature of the sport.
