Günther Steiner has left the door open to a Formula 1 return, admitting that he would seriously consider coming back to the championship if the right project emerged. The former Haas team principal, who has since embarked on a new motorsport venture with MotoGP team Tech3, made clear that simply taking another job in F1 would not be enough to tempt him back.
After spending eight seasons at the helm of Haas, Günther Steiner has moved into a very different phase of his career. Yet despite stepping away from the day-to-day management of a Formula 1 team, the Italian engineer has not ruled out becoming directly involved in the championship again.
Günther Steiner’s F1 return depends on the right project
Günther Steiner’s Formula 1 chapter appeared to have come to a definitive end when his time as Haas team principal concluded after the 2023 season. He had held the position from the team’s F1 debut in 2016 through to 2023 before moving on to new projects.
One of those ventures has taken Günther Steiner from four wheels to two. Following the acquisition of the French Tech3 operation, he began a new adventure in motorcycle racing as CEO of the MotoGP team. The move from the Formula 1 paddock to MotoGP might have suggested that his career in F1 management was over for good, but Günther Steiner himself remains open to another challenge.
Appearing on the Up to Speed podcast, the former Haas boss acknowledged that he would seriously evaluate an opportunity to return to Formula 1, although only under specific circumstances.
“I would come back if there were a project I liked,” Günther Steiner explained. “I always say it: come back just to do a job? No. There are so many things I like doing. If you look at me over the last 10, 15 or even 20 years, it has always been about projects. I wasn’t looking for a job, because I wouldn’t say doing a job bores me, but it doesn’t excite me enough. It has to be something that really challenges me.”
From Haas to Tech3 and television
Günther Steiner’s move into MotoGP is not the only new direction he has explored since leaving Haas. He has also built a career in television, remaining closely connected to Formula 1 through broadcasting and punditry. His continued presence around the championship has included commentary on some of the sport’s biggest subjects, including the challenges presented by the 2026 F1 cars.
Speaking to former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard, who hosts the Up to Speed podcast, Günther Steiner explained that television was initially an unexpected opportunity.
“When I left Haas, I went into television,” he said. “I didn’t even know that sector existed. Then I got an offer and I said, ‘I’ll try it’, because I wanted to be as good as David! I haven’t managed it yet! So there’s still a long way to go. It’s impossible!”
Günther Steiner then drew a parallel with one of the biggest projects of his career: helping establish Haas as a new Formula 1 team. The experience reinforced his preference for taking on challenges that initially appear difficult or even impossible.
“When I founded an F1 team, they told me: ‘You’ll never do it. Nobody can do it, start a new F1 team.’ ‘All right, I’ll prove you wrong!’”
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