Top 5 Guenther Steiner moments

Guenther Steiner has left the Haas F1 team with immediate effect. The 58-year-old played a pivotal role in laying down the foundation of the American team. Steiner was brought in by Gene Haas to look into the possibility of an F1 team in the 2010s. However, things got off to a shaky start after Haas was denied permission to use Ferrari customer cars.

It was the Italian-American who managed to get things rolling for the Haas F1 Team. Guenther Steiner ensured that the team could use all non-listed parts from Ferrari while forming a partnership with Dallara. This allowed Gene Haas’ F1 ambitions to turn into reality with Haas joining the sport for the 2016 season.

Steiner became a prominent face in the F1 paddock over the years. The 58-year-old became a fan favorite courtesy of the Netflix Docuseries ‘Drive to Survive.’ So much so, that the former team boss was even part of the cover of F1 Manager 23. Subsequently, fans were heartbroken to hear the news of Steiner’s departure. This article delves into the top 5 moments of the former Haas Team Principal.

Here is the list of Top 5 Guenther Steiner moments

5. Guenther Steiner gifts ‘Mazespin’ to Nikita Mazepin

Haas signed Russia’s Nikita Mazepin for the 2021 F1 season. The American team was in dire need of funding which was provided by the Mazepin family via UralKali. However, the 24-year-old had a disastrous start to his rookie season at the pinnacle of motorsport. Nikita Mazepin gained a reputation for being crash-prone with some woeful results for Guenther Steiner’s squad.

Moreover, the Russian driver spun in multiple sessions over the course of the season. Subsequently, Guenther Steiner decided to take matters into his own hands. The 58-year-old gave a special gift to the rookie driver, a spinning top. The Italian-American named the top as ‘Mazespin,’ a pun on the name of the 24-year-old that was used heavily online.

Here's a little present for you. So you can keep on 'Mazespinning'…Now you can spin. There is two of them now. It's the Mazespin game. You spin this one: it is better than spinning the car!

Guenther Steiner said as reported by Motorsport.com

Steiner told Nikita Mazepin that he could spin this gift instead of the Haas car during race weekends. The Russian driver accepted the gift gracefully and the two shared a good laugh as well. Moreover, Mazepin gave a door to his team boss as a return gift shortly afterward. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old was ousted in the middle of pre-season testing in 2022 due to political tensions and failure to fulfill sponsorship payments.

4. Guenther Steiner claims he would’ve “f****d” the paddock for two points

The Haas F1 team made a major recovery at the start of the 2022 season. The American team had put all its resources into the 2022 challenger even before the start of its 2021 campaign. This allowed Haas to deliver a much better package with the start of the new F1 regulations. Subsequently, Kevin Magnussen managed to score a couple of points for the team.

In an interview after the race, Guenther Steiner mentioned that the car was quick. The 58-year-old seemed to be over the moon after this result. As Steiner reckoned he would have ‘f****d’ the entire F1 paddock in 2021 for such a result. Although this reply baffled the interviewer who asked the Haas boss to clarify.

Last year, for two points, I mean, I would have f***ed the whole paddock! It's a good place to be.... Hug them!

Guenther Steiner said as reported by RacingNews365

The Italian-American mentioned that he used the word ‘hug.’ As such, Guenther Steiner tried to convey that he would’ve been ready to hug all the personnel in the paddock. However, the 58-year-old had a smile on his face when he clarified, making fans believe his earlier comment.

3. Guenther Steiner admits Haas looked like a “Bunch of W**kers”

The American team was on course to have an impressive campaign in 2018. Haas was on a steady trajectory to the front of the F1 midfield. However, the team faced a massive setback at the Australian GP as both Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean had to retire from the race due to botched pitstops. This happened while both cars were running in the top 5.

Guenther Steiner was on call with a furious Gene Haas after the race. This scene was showcased in the inaugural season of Drive to Survive which truly made him a fan favorite. The 58-year-old highlighted that the team could’ve looked like legends after scoring a P4 and P5 finish. Unfortunately, the crash made the squad look nothing short of a ‘bunch of w**kers.’

We finish fourth and fifth we f****** look like rockstars. Now we are f****** bunch of w**kers, bunch of f****** clowns."

Guenther Steiner told Gene Haas in ‘Drive to Survive’

Certainly, this conversation became iconic online and is still used by fans today. Steiner’s words showed that the 58-year-old was a brute team leader who did not shy away from speaking the truth. Ultimately, it was this attitude of the Italian-American that was adored by fans.

2. Guenther Steiner furious after Kevin Magnussen ‘F*** Smashes’ the door

Haas was having a difficult year in 2019. The American team failed to continue its decent campaign the previous season. Moreover, Magnussen and Grosjean were having even more clashes with one another which cost the team heavily in points and money. Gene Haas even considered pulling the plug on the team if it failed to show progress.

Guenther Steiner called up his drivers for a meeting. The angry team boss made it clear that the two needed to get along and bring some much-needed results. As Gene Haas was reviewing the team’s operations. However, after the meeting, Kevin Magnussen smashed the door on his way out. This enraged the 58-year-old.

As seen in ‘Drive to Survive,’ Steiner made it clear that the Danish driver cannot smash the door on him. The 58-year-old was ready to show Magnussen the way out of the team if he didn’t want to keep racing for Haas. The Italian-American claimed that the 31-year-old could simply bugger off.

He is not f****** doing that to me! He does not f****** smash my door, tell him that! If he does not want to come back, he better tell me now. He smashed my f***** office door. I don't know where he is, but he can f*** off.

Guenther Steiner said on ‘Drive to Survive’

1. Guenther Steiner releases his own book, ‘Surviving to Drive’

Formula 1 is a massive sport. Over the years many have tried to write books about their respective journeys at the pinnacle of motorsport. However, the entire paddock was surprised to hear that Guenther Steiner had written a book on Haas’ 2022 season, titled, ‘Surviving to Drive.’ This name was evidently inspired by the Netflix docuseries.

Steiner made some major revelations in his book about the team’s 2022 campaign. The 58-year-old mentioned that Mick Schumacher had cost Haas millions of dollars in repair damages which adversely affected the team budget. Subsequently, the Italian-American signed Nico Hulkenberg to replace Schumacher for 2023.

Steiner’s book captures the reality behind the scenes of the American team. It is rare for a team boss to write a book about a single F1 season. However, times are changing and fans have loved the 58-year-old’s book. As Guenther Steiner delves deep into the team’s work and his thoughts which brings readers close to the world of F1.

In case you missed it:

• Guenther Steiner SHOCKINGLY departs from Haas after leading the American outfit since 2014
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