Gunther Steiner does not rule out a return to the Formula 1 paddock after saying goodbye to the leadership of Haas, but he acknowledged that he would only accept if it were a project that made his eyes shine.
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The Italian executive played a key role in creating the American team, staying in charge until January 2024. At that time, Gene Haas chose not to renew the contract.
Since then, Steiner has swapped four wheels for two and took over KTM Tech3, a MotoGP team, acting as owner and CEO. However, F1 is still something that appeals to him. “Yes. I come back if there is a project I like. I mean, I always say: just come back to do a job? No,” he said on the Up to Speed podcast.
“There are so many things I like. And, if you look at me, in the last 10, 15 years, or even 20 years, they have always been projects. It was not just about taking a job. Because doing a job just for the sake of it… actually, I wouldn’t say it’s boring for me, but it lacks that enthusiasm. It needs to be something that really challenges me,” he continued.
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When asked what would be an exciting project, he added that “a project is something where you can define what to do yourself. It’s not just about taking a role, because I don’t define myself by my position. The position itself doesn’t matter to me at all.”
“When I started an F1 team, they told me: ‘You will never make it. No one manages to create a new F1 team.’ ‘Okay, I’ll show you!’ So, I think it was easier to create an F1 team than to reach David’s level on television,” he concluded.
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