“They don’t need to watch it,” Guenther Steiner hits out at detractors of Neftlix’s ‘Drive to Survive’

Guenther Steiner feels people that aren't fond of Netflix's 'Drive to Survive' have no compulsion to watch it - it takes nothing away from the racing.

“They don’t need to watch it,” Guenther Steiner hits out at detractors of Neftlix’s ‘Drive to Survive’

Guenther Steiner

As you may know, Guenther Steiner is the principal of the Haas F1 team. He previously served as a managing director for Jaguar, between 2001-2003, and following a takeover of the said team, also a technical operations director for Red Bull. He has led Haas since 2014 but is perhaps most famous not through his role there, but because of his status as a ‘star’ of the Netflix show, ‘Drive to Survive’.

Along with Christian Horner, he is one of the most ‘popular’ figures on the Netflix docuseries. This comes with a share of unpopularity as well, though, particularly for his comments on Mick Schumacher in the most recent season of the show. His public ‘treatment’ of the young German, ousted from Haas after last season, has always been a point of criticism, though he stands behind it. He does know, that DTS shows the ‘worst and the tricky moments’.

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But he has not actually watched the show. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he explained: “I never did watch it. I want to avoid it. If you look at yourself, you change, and I don’t want to do that. You want to do better or improve. But I am not an actor, so I don’t need to do better. If I don’t watch, I don’t feel the pressure when I do it next time. I don’t want to change. There is no point now.”

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Read More: Guenther Steiner is not “ashamed” of his comments about Mick Schumacher in Drive to Survive

Guenther Steiner tries to “oblige” his fans

Guenther Steiner
Guenther Steiner

His celebrity, particularly from Netflix, also means that he has to deal with fans. Describing this, Guenther Steiner said: “When one person spots you, the crowd comes. Dining around the races can be difficult — it’s not difficult, it’s just people wanting to speak to you. I always oblige them because it would be arrogant not to, and I’m not arrogant. If it’s too much after a bad day, you just don’t go out for dinner.

The Haas team principal added: “My daughter is 13 and she would ask, ‘Do you know this guy?’ ‘No.’ You go down the street and people know your name. ‘Hello Guenther, how’s it going?’ That’s just the way it is now, and I don’t mind.” The South-Tyrol born then remarked that ‘hardcore’ fans don’t ‘need’ to watch the show if they have a problem with it, He said: “And if hardcore fans don’t like Netflix, they don’t need to watch it. It takes nothing away from the racing.”

And his fame is set to continue: Not least because his position at Haas is secure, but a sixth ‘Drive to Survive’ season is also in the works! Right now, it’s relatively early in the season, so it’s hard to guess possible storylines. Haas, who in 2023 will finally reach the budget cap, would hope to take a step up this season, now that they have what they wanted. That is, two experienced drivers – Kevin Magnussen, and Nico Hulkenberg.

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