With all due respect, but that's utter bull. Haas explicitly said it was not one man's fault, and explained why he did what he did and what he expects. Sounds very reasonable to me. As for "a second Steiner", as soon as the team has even the smallest of success under Komatsu people will ask "Steiner who?".
And, while I'm sure Mr. Haas will live very well without unsolicited advice by you or anyone else with as much insight as a goldfish, what's this all to do with selling the team? If he wanted to sell, he wouldn't exchange key personel, would he?
2023 'Guess The Pole' Points & Accuracy Champion
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Komatsu is an Engineer, and his, in contrast to Steiner, might be a different approach to team management. So much is probably true, however in their current business model rising to podium will be monumental task. (All respect to goldfish everywhere.) Good luck to him.
Aty wrote: ↑3 months ago
Komatsu is an Engineer, and his, in contrast to Steiner, might be a different approach to team management. So much is probably true, however in their current business model rising to podium will be monumental task. (All respect to goldfish everywhere.) Good luck to him.
Steiner as it happens is also an engineering and technical man......He studied engineering and started working as an engineer in WRC. After a 15 year career working in the WRC in engineering capacities he worked with the likes of Sainz and McRae,... he ended his WRC days in 2001 having risen to Director of Engineering at M-Sport ..... he switched to the Jaguar F1 Team and was for a while MD there also responsible for the engineering side of the team. He became a casualty of the Ford management at Jaguar,replaced as MD and declined the position they offered him so went on gardening leave. When Red Bull took over Jaguar Horner invited Steiner to rejoin the team as technical operations director.
When Red Bull secured Newey Guenther 'felt it was a bit crowded so Mateschitz asked if Guenther would be interested in going to the US to set up their Red Bull NASCAR team . He agreed so moved his family to the US and operated as the RB NASCAR Technical Director, until mid 2008 when he left to set up his manufacturing company Fibreworks Composites, in the US. He happened to meet Gene Haas in a steak house and they started talking....
So yeah Gunther has a technical background and by all accounts knows his way round a toolbox.
* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left
“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)
* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
Aty wrote: ↑3 months ago
Komatsu is an Engineer, and his, in contrast to Steiner, might be a different approach to team management. So much is probably true, however in their current business model rising to podium will be monumental task. (All respect to goldfish everywhere.) Good luck to him.
Steiner as it happens is also an engineering and technical man......He studied engineering and started working as an engineer in WRC. After a 15 year career working in the WRC in engineering capacities he worked with the likes of Sainz and McRae,... he ended his WRC days in 2001 having risen to Director of Engineering at M-Sport ..... he switched to the Jaguar F1 Team and was for a while MD there also responsible for the engineering side of the team. He became a casualty of the Ford management at Jaguar,replaced as MD and declined the position they offered him so went on gardening leave. When Red Bull took over Jaguar Horner invited Steiner to rejoin the team as technical operations director.
When Red Bull secured Newey Mateschitz asked if Guenther would be interested in going to the US to set up their Red Bull.NASCAR team and oprate as the Technical Director. until mid 2008 when he left to set up his manufacturing company Fibreworks Composites in the US. He happened to meet Gene Haas in a steak house and they started talking....
So yeah Gunther has a technical background and by all accounts knows his way round a toolbox.
I didn't know Steiner is an engineer. (Lack of interest on my part to learn more about this team). I've read recently somewhere about Gene's characterization of approaches by both men. Paraphrasing, he said that Steiner was hand off, letting people to do their job. Komatsu, on the other hand, is more of hands-on approach, and leading by setting specific targets (or something to that effect).
What I am failing to understand why is Haas making changes so late? It has taken him 160 races to evaluate Steiner and make his mind whether his team is in good hands? Gene surely must also bear some responsibility for all what it is today. Going back to their existential F1 business model, I am also lacking any understanding what it is he is expecting Komatsu to achieve?
Moreover, now you have the 2026 project coming up. Who is running it? A lot of questions remain hanging without any answers (not that he owe us any).
Gene Haas: I HAVE NO INTENTION to ‘CASH IN ON THE F1 BOOM AND SELL MY TEAM'
In the wake of sacking team principal Guenther Steiner this week, the suggestion has been made that Haas is now looking for an exit strategy, potentially selling his team to fellow American Michael Andretti, who has been trying to find a way into the sport for the past couple of years.
Indeed he talks of "the next 10 years". He mentions that he is the only start up team this millennium to still be around due to careful and controlled spending.
Haas is adamant he will not be selling.
Gene Haas wrote:“I didn't get into F1 to sell,” Haas confirmed. “I did it because I wanted to race. Guenther had the same perspective.
“We're not here to cash out. We want to race and be competitive. If you look at any team, historically, they have had a lot of good years and a lot of bad years.
“Surviving is one of the characteristics of getting better. As long as you can survive, you always have another year to prove your worthiness.
“This is a big change. Losing Guenther is going to cause the team to have to focus on other aspects. We will hopefully come out better for it.”
Over the years, Haas has operated on limited resources, with the 71-year-old confirming that since the budget cap was introduced in 2021, his team has yet to hit the ceiling, although has come close.
In contrast, the bigger teams have had to considerably cut their cloth accordingly to ensure they remain under the limit, which at present stands at US$135 million.
Again outlining another likely reason as to why Steiner was fired, Haas said: “There is a perception we spend a lot less money. We're usually within $10m of the budget limit.
“I just think we don't do a very good job of spending that money. A lot of teams have had previous investments in their infrastructure, buildings, equipment, and personnel.
“Our model was to outsource a lot of that. We spend a lot of money. We haven't exceeded the cap but we're pretty darn close to it. I just don't think we're doing a very good job of spending it in the most effective way.”
Pointing to how he has run his Haas Automation tooling business for the last 40 years, he added: “That's one of the reasons we have survived because we are so conscious of how we spend money.
“Being efficient at what we do is going to make sure we survive in this series. We're one of the longest-surviving teams.
“Everyone else (other new teams) has had the tendency to spend all their money in the first few years and then they go out of business.
“We have survived for eight years, and we're not in a situation where we are going to go out of business. But I certainly want to be able to survive for the next 10 years.”
“Being efficient at what we do is going to make sure we survive in this series. We're one of the longest-surviving teams.
Oh well, as long as he will be happy with his team's results.
If hypothetically, Andretti were to come in and takeover Haas do you think they (Andretti)would do a better job straight out of the box? Im not sure they would. Especially if they were intent on running it themselves or ditched the existing Haas Italian links for some Detroit fantasy or even French source.
* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left
“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)
* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
DoubleFart wrote: ↑3 months ago
Satire account Ballies.
I twondered about that.
I feel the need to buy an official Guenther T Shirt. I will miss him and his comments. He was quite a character without doubt.
Hoping he gets offered a gig on Sky F1 as a pundit.. That might make F1 a bit more interesting
It may be complete satire. However, I put money on that if you comb through the data, you'll find that Gunter's real account gave it a like.
(I'm sure he's at least thinking this in his head.)
This sucks. Gunter was the only reason to pay attention to Haas. He had all the personality that we seem to be lacking these days. And while I'm sure he was frustrated at times, he seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself most of the time. I hope he lands a spot somewhere still in F1.
Last edited by XcraigX3 months ago, edited 1 time in total.
The only bits of Drive to Survive I have watched pretty much.
Includes his much publicised and f-word laden Silverstone rant when Romain and Marcus took each other out a few years ago.
Ironic is that Komatsu (new HAAS principal replacement) is in this video from about 1:25 to 1:40. He is the guy Gunter is yelling at about going backwards in development of the car.
“Being efficient at what we do is going to make sure we survive in this series. We're one of the longest-surviving teams.
Oh well, as long as he will be happy with his team's results.
If hypothetically, Andretti were to come in and takeover Haas do you think they (Andretti)would do a better job straight out of the box? Im not sure they would. Especially if they were intent on running it themselves or ditched the existing Haas Italian links for some Detroit fantasy or even French source.
I thought Andretti would not purchase Haas, but his grid spot (P10). Someone suggested Haas should sell for € 910 MM (= USD 1B). That is however overvalued IMHO and out of the question.
Gene sticks to promotion from internal sources and people he knows (despite some minor imperfections) in preference over new external hires. He explained why he refused to accept calls from Mattia and Otmar.
That's how it used to be in my younger years. One+ for Gene in my eyes. His business model however while it might had been OK in early years, after 10 years at the back, I think he should change it, if he wants to move up.
Aty wrote: ↑3 months ago
Gene sticks to promotion from internal sources and people he knows (despite some minor imperfections) in preference over new external hires. He explained why he refused to accept calls from Mattia and Otmar.
That's how it used to be in my younger years. One+ for Gene in my eyes. His business model however while it might had been OK in early years, after 10 years at the back, I think he should change it, if he wants to move up.
HAAS is unable to develop the cars in a competitive manner. The tools are insufficient, outdated. This is why Simone Resta left HAAS in the first place. Steiner tried to convince Gene to invest more in the F1 team. And in what he should invest.
Brian Redman: "Mr. Fangio, how do you come so fast?" "More throttle, less brakes...."
Aty wrote: ↑3 months ago
Gene sticks to promotion from internal sources and people he knows (despite some minor imperfections) in preference over new external hires. He explained why he refused to accept calls from Mattia and Otmar.
That's how it used to be in my younger years. One+ for Gene in my eyes. His business model however while it might had been OK in early years, after 10 years at the back, I think he should change it, if he wants to move up.
HAAS is unable to develop the cars in a competitive manner. The tools are insufficient, outdated. This is why Simone Resta left HAAS in the first place. Steiner tried to convince Gene to invest more in the F1 team. And in what he should invest.
I am in agreement with all of it. My + point was really for his internal promotion only. I like that. Neither Otmar or Mattia would do much than Seiner without Gene changing his business model.
Aty wrote: ↑3 months ago
Gene sticks to promotion from internal sources and people he knows (despite some minor imperfections) in preference over new external hires. He explained why he refused to accept calls from Mattia and Otmar.
That's how it used to be in my younger years. One+ for Gene in my eyes. His business model however while it might had been OK in early years, after 10 years at the back, I think he should change it, if he wants to move up.
HAAS is unable to develop the cars in a competitive manner. The tools are insufficient, outdated. This is why Simone Resta left HAAS in the first place. Steiner tried to convince Gene to invest more in the F1 team. And in what he should invest.
Indeed.... you have to take into account that none of their equipment has been updated since Haas started 8 years ago. To make it worse it was out of date long before they entered F1..... remember, their UK facility and resources is exactly what they bought off Manor F1 when they went belly up.. It was outdated crap when Haas set up.. Now it is 8 years older (even more)outdated crap. That was the fundamental issue is that Guenther was calling for more capital expenditure to enable them to be on the same page and using the same goalposts as the other 9 teams. Gene says no.... when the results get better then he might consider it. Meanwhile Haas are still polishing the same turd.
They can polish that turd as much as they like. It will always be a turd.
* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left
“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)
* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
If he wanted to sell, he wouldn't exchange key personel, would he? 
2019 GTP Accuracy Champion 
