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Steiner explains how he found his way into F1

3 February 2021 at 15:02
Last update 3 February 2021 at 18:28
  • GPblog.com

Guenther Steiner has been at the helm of Haas F1 since 2016. That year, Gene Haas' American team entered Formula 1 but Steiner has been explaining how his partnership with Haas came to be.

Possible partnership with USF1

Steiner told Motorsport.com how he came into contact at an earlier stage with USF1, a team that wanted to join the Formula One family, around 2010. “At that time F1 was losing manufacturers like BMW, Toyota and Honda, while USF1 with their home base wanted to join fifteen kilometers from my house,” Steiner said.

Steiner got in touch with USF1 boss and chief investor Chad Hurley. "One day I get a call from Hurley, the chief investor, who asked me what he had to do to get into F1. I knew that world".

Steiner's advice: Go for the cars Dallara built for Campos.

Not Hurley!

Steiner was also interested in a step into Formula 1 and therefore visited Domenicali for a coffee. His advice was clear: do not go with Hurley because his financial basis would not be sufficient. Steiner took the advice of the Italian and looked for another investor.

Via a roundabout route he came into contact with Gene Haas: "I was looking for contact with people in the racing world until I found someone who knew Gene Haas. He was already involved in NASCAR at the time. We met and started talking about it, first globally and then in detail."

The gentlemen took their time: "The negotiations took a year and finally Gene was convinced to participate, so he asked me to apply for a license. " The team has been there ever since, and so it is this year. With two new drivers: Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin.