Guenther Steiner, the charismatic former team principal of the Haas F1 Team, is embarking on a new venture following his tenure in Formula One. Following the success of his first book, Surviving to Drive, Steiner is now collaborating on a new project following his sacking from the Haas F1 team.

January 2024 marked the end of an era for the Haas F1 Team when Guenther Steiner, their long-serving team principal, was surprisingly sacked. Known for his straightforward manner and strategic acumen, Steiner had been a key figure in Haas’ journey into Formula One. His departure not only marks a significant change in the team’s leadership, but also the end of a remarkable chapter in the team’s history.

 

Steiner’s tenure at Haas was marked by several notable achievements. The team scored points in its debut race and continued to perform impressively in subsequent seasons. Steiner’s ability to navigate the complex world of Formula One, balancing technical challenges and team dynamics, was instrumental in these successes.

Steiner’s journey with Haas wasn’t without its challenges. The team faced periods of poor performance, technical setbacks and the inevitable growing pains of a new team in the competitive arena of Formula One. Through it all, Steiner’s leadership was a constant, guiding the team through turbulent times with a steady hand.

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Circumstances leading to the departure

The announcement of Guenther Steiner’s departure from the Haas F1 Team in January 2024 came as a surprise to many in the Formula One community. The decision marked a significant change for the team and raised questions about the factors influencing this change in leadership.

In the seasons leading up to 2024, Haas experienced a mix of highs and lows. While there have been moments of impressive performance, the team has also faced challenges in maintaining consistency. These fluctuations in performance, particularly in comparison to their rivals, may have contributed to the decision to seek new leadership.

Formula 1 is a sport that requires constant evolution and adaptation. With the changing dynamics of the sport, including technological advances and shifting competitive landscapes, teams often re-evaluate their strategies and leadership.

The decision to part ways with Steiner could be seen as a move by Haas to bring new energy and perspectives to the team.

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Embarking on a new literary journey

Steiner is now collaborating on a second volume that promises to offer fresh insights and perspectives shaped by his recent experiences and departure from the team.

“Surviving to Drive”, Steiner’s debut as an author, tells the gripping inside story of Haas’ 2022 season and explores various facets of his F1 career. The book was widely acclaimed and sold over 150,000 copies. It has resonated with a global audience, with translations soon to be available in 12 languages. A UK paperback edition is due out in March, further extending its reach.

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Steiner and Hogg’s second collaboration

Teaming up again with ghostwriter James Hogg, Steiner embarks on his second book project. This new collaboration is set against the backdrop of Steiner’s recent departure from Haas, potentially offering a different narrative angle and deeper reflections on his experiences in and out of the world of racing.

Speaking to Motorsport.com, Steiner said: “We’re working on the second book at the moment. That was planned before. Now, of course, the story might change a bit!”

This comment hints at the dynamic nature of the forthcoming book, shaped by recent developments in Steiner’s career.

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The process behind the book

Steiner describes his foray into writing as a new and enlightening experience. He enjoyed working with Hogg, describing their partnership as organic and pressure-free. Their approach to writing was not formulaic, but flowed naturally, making the process enjoyable and creatively fulfilling.

“It was a completely new experience. And I learned a lot about how some industries work, how things are done because I was never exposed to this before.” said Steiner,

“And I actually enjoyed working with the writer, he is a cool dude, we had good fun. And he had good fun as well.

“He said hanging out with me was always good fun because it was never the pressure of ‘we need to do this’. It all came very organically.”

Steiner also addressed concerns about whether his literary and media commitments, including his prominent role in the Netflix series ‘Drive to Survive’, distracted him from his F1 responsibilities. He downplayed these suggestions, insisting that these activities did not significantly detract from his professional focus. He emphasised the efficient nature of his collaboration with Hogg, which involved just two short sessions a week, leaving the bulk of the writing to the ghostwriter.

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The impact on the Haas F1 Team

Steiner argues that his involvement with the book and the Netflix series has been more of a benefit to the Haas team than a distraction. He believes these endeavours have played a role in attracting sponsorship and raising the team’s profile. His media presence and the success of “Surviving to Drive” have helped the team gain wider recognition in the world of Formula One.

“I think people are overrating that, how much distraction that is,” he said. “Because it isn’t actually a lot of distraction from the daily job.

“Obviously on the race weekends, you need to work more. But for example, I didn’t have 20 [sponsor] appearances a weekend, I had maybe three maximum.

“It’s not like that is distracting, even writing the book. Obviously, a ghostwriter does it for you.”

“Now I’ve got more time, but even now, we do two sessions a week of half an hour. We do one on Tuesday and one on Friday. That’s all I do, he does the rest.

“You speak with him, but it’s not like I spent days speaking with him. I know that some people have spent days speaking with these people, but I didn’t.

“I don’t think that is a big factor. I think that there were more benefits for the team than anything else about this because they got a lot of sponsors.” concludes Steiner.

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Anticipation for the second book

The F1 community and fans are eagerly awaiting Steiner’s second book. Given his unique position and the recent changes in his professional life, the book is expected to offer valuable insights into the inner workings of Formula One, the challenges of team management and the personal journey of one of the sport’s most remarkable figures.

Guenther Steiner’s foray into writing post-Formula 1 is not only a continuation of his professional journey, but also a reflection of his multi-faceted personality and experiences. His forthcoming book promises to be a compelling read, offering a mix of personal anecdotes, professional reflections and an insider’s view of the world of Formula 1 racing.

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