‘No reason why we are 10th’ - Gene Haas reveals truth behind Guenther Steiner’s shock exit from F1 team

Haas F1 team owner Gene Haas says the decision to remove Guenther Steiner from his position after 10 years simply came down to performance. 
‘No reason why we are 10th’ - Haas reveals truth behind Steiner’s shock exit 

The 58-year-old Italian has been re🍃placed by the team’s former director of engineering, Ayao Komatsu, jusꦕt over a month before the start of 🔯the 2024 F1 season. 

Steiner’s shock departure followed a difficult and disappointing campaign for Haas, who only scored 12 points across 22 races in 2023 and slumped 🦄to last place in the constructors’ championship.&ౠnbsp;

While Haas made it clear that was not directly Steiner’s fault, the Amer♍ican outfit’s dismal lack of competitiveness ultimately swayed the decision not to extend his contract, which expired at the end of 2023. 

“ꦿIt came down to performance,” Haas tol🎃d F1.com. “Here we are in our eighth year, over 160 races – we have never had a podium. The last couple of years, we’ve been 10th or ninth.

“I’m not sitting here saying it’s Guenther’s fault, or anything like that, but it just seems like this was an appropriate time to make a cha♏nge and try a different direction, because it doesn’t seem like continuing with what we had is really goi🌄ng to work.”

Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Haas VF-23. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 23, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu
Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Haas VF-23. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 23, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix,…

Haas added: “It is, I like Guenther, he’s a really nice person, a really good personality. We had a tough end to the year. I don’t understand that, I re🐓ally don’t. 

“Those are good questions to ask Guenther, what went wrong. At the end of the day, it’s about performance. I have no interest in being 10th an𓃲ymore.”

Haas believes his team should be capable of finishing much higheꦗr in the championship.💯 

“We need to do better,” he says. “It’s easier to keep sponsors and attract sponsors if we’re a mid-pack team and not a dead last tea🐓m. That’s my perspective on it. 

“At the same time, if we can run a little faster, we’ll get mor♏e FOM [Formula One Management] money, which will make life a bit easier.

“It’s really all about winning. We have a great team, we have great engines, we have really great drivers. There’s no reason why we are 10th. I can’t understand how we can be with all the equipment and ꧒people we have.”

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