"Not like Guenther Steiner, who doesn’t know how to lead and help people": Haas team principal's leadership questioned by former F1 driver
Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner has once again become the target of criticism for his leadership. This time around, it is former F1 driver Hans-Joachim Stuck who is not impressed with Guenther's leadership in the team. Steiner has been criticized largely by the German media for the way he managed Mick Schumacher last season.
Many have even questioned how the Haas team principal capitalized on the already acrimonious fallout and monetized it in a way by releasing a book with multiple anecdotes about Mick Schumacher. Stuck is the latest one of the German F1 contingent to voice his disapproval of Steiner's methods.
Talking about where Mick Schumacher finds himself after his Haas stint, Stuck admitted that the road was going to be very tough for the young German. He was however complimentary of Toto Wolff and claimed that the Austrian will have a better handle on the situation than Steiner ever did. He told Eurosport:
“In his current job, Schumacher just has to fight his way through. He will certainly be learning a lot at the moment, both with tests and simulator work. But how he gets a cockpit remains to be seen. If you can’t show and prove yourself in the race, you’ll quickly lose the public eye so a second year of testing would certainly not do him any good."
He added:
“It remains to be seen what Toto Wolff intends to do with him. It’s certainly not easy. For me, he belongs in Formula 1 – no question. He should be able to show his skills again, in a car he deserves and with a decent team boss. Not like Guenther Steiner, who doesn’t know how to lead and help people. Under the circumstances, Mick would have a good chance.”
Haas F1 team principal's leadership under the scanner
There have been a few detractors that have gathered steam and even questioned the Haas team principal's approach and leadership. The American team is not having the best of seasons in 2023 and seems to have regressed from the levels at which it was performing last season.
The car has poor race pace and both Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen have struggled due to it throughout the season. With no significant upgrade in sight and no real changes being brought in, there are real concerns about the stagnation of the team and whether it could be a perennial competitor even in the midfield in all these years.