In a surprising revelation, former Haas principal Guenther Steiner disclosed his two unsuccessful attempts to bring Sergio Perez into the Haas fold.
Back in 2016, as Steiner began his journey with Haas, Sergio Perez was making waves driving for Force India. His impressive performances eventually paved the way for his transition to Red Bull in 2021. Despite his current struggles with Red Bull, Steiner believed Perez was the perfect candidate to lead Haas during his tenure, stating, ‘two times for Haas because he’s a good driver.’
The Italian-American team boss managed only seven drivers in his nine-year stretch at Haas. He was convinced that had Perez joined, he would have been the standout driver in the team’s history. ‘Maybe he was not a race winner or a championship-winning driver, but at Haas, we couldn’t ask someone of Lewis Hamilton’s class to come and join. But Checo was a potential candidate when we were doing well, so that’s what I saw in him,’ he commented.
Fast forward to the present, and Perez’s situation at Red Bull seems precarious. Steiner remarked on how unexpected it was for Red Bull to retain Perez, considering his current form. “I said live on German TV – ‘I don’t think we will see Checo back after the summer break’,” Steiner shared, echoing the sentiment of many in the Formula 1 community who doubted Perez’s continuation with the team due to his underperformance.
Steiner further elaborated on his shock, referring to Red Bull figures Christian Horner and Helmut Marko’s messages suggesting a need for change, with Steiner interpreting them as potential moves concerning Perez’s future. ‘I was as surprised as you guys when I read it. Nothing against Checo but he just didn’t perform,’ he explained, comparing Perez’s struggles to that of fellow racer Danny Ricciardo.
Steiner concluded by expressing his uncertainty about Perez’s future, noting that while he didn’t expect Perez to last the season, Red Bull presumably had their reasons for retaining him. ‘He just cannot get out of the hole. I didn’t expect him to be there until the end of the year. But I’m sure they know what they’re doing,’ Steiner added.
Despite the missed opportunities to sign Sergio Perez, Guenther Steiner’s reflections underscore the challenges and unpredictability in the world of Formula 1 negotiations.
