Formula 1: Without Guenther Steiner, Haas might not last much longer

Being the youngest team on the Formula 1 grid since joined in 2016, Haas have known no other team principal except Guenther Steiner. He played a large part in building this team to be what it is now, and he has pulled them through plenty of struggles.

His recent departure was surprising, as he was fired long after the 2023 season ended. With that, he did not even get a chance to say goodbye to everyone with whom he had worked for nearly a decade. The 58-year-old said that it “stung” not being able to say his thanks and goodbyes.

It took a lot of effort from Steiner and Haas to put this team on the right track. But with Haas having been the worst team on the grid in 2023 and no one else having ever spent time at the helm since they joined the sport, taking over from Steiner will be a much more difficult job than anticipated. Replacement Ayao Komatsu may be in for a lot more than he expects.

What could Steiner's departure lead to?

With Gene Haas’s Formula 1 team holding the pride of being American-owned, it may not last much longer. The team have been underwhelming in the eight years they have been on the grid, and the timing of this change indicates that they may not belong in the sport for much longer.

As for the Formula 1 timeline, the addition of a new team is probably on the cards within the next few years anyway, with Michael Andretti looking to bring Cadillac to the grid. The FIA have already approved the power unit which Cadillac intend to utilize from the 2028 season onwards.

The impending addition of another American-owned team would bring a wave of excitement to Formula 1. Additionally, having someone with a pedigree such as the Andretti family would bring more publicity to the sport. 

While only time will tell whether or not Haas will last in Formula 1, the possibility of being replaced by an Andretti-owned team in a couple of years appears increasingly viable.

That said, the addition of another American-owned team is not necessarily contingent on the performance of Haas. The grid could either remain with 10 teams or expand to 11, and given Haas' current outlook, it truly could go either way.