Guenther Steiner leaves Haas team principal role ahead of 2024 F1 season, Ayao Komatsu named replacement

Guenther Steiner leaves Haas as team principal, replaced by Ayao Komatsu. Steiner's contract was not renewed due to differing visions.

Guenther Steiner has stepped down as Haas team principal ahead of the 2024 F1 season, following the team's disappointing performances. Ayao Komatsu has been promoted to team principal from director of engineering, with the season beginning with the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Steiner, a star of Netflix's Drive to Survive series, has been in charge of Haas since they joined F1 in 2016. However, the team has struggled in recent seasons, finishing bottom of the Constructors' Championship last year. Sky Sports News understands that Steiner's contract was not renewed due to differing visions for the team's future.

Haas owner Gene Haas thanked Steiner for his hard work and announced the appointment of Komatsu as team principal, emphasizing the need for improvement in on-track performances. Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft expressed that F1 has lost a popular character in Steiner, and hopes for his return in the future.

The team's drivers, Magnussen and Hulkenberg, expressed their gratitude to Steiner on social media for his leadership. Sky Sports News reporter Craig Slater revealed that Steiner's departure was due to divergent views on the team's future direction and investment. Croft added that Steiner's departure may have been influenced by the team's poor on-track performance.

Damon Hill, Sky Sports F1 pundit, described Steiner as a decisive and confident character, suggesting that his departure is a loss to the sport. Steiner worked in F1 before Haas, and the team made an immediate impact in 2016, finishing eighth in the Constructors' Championship. However, results on the track declined from 2019, leading to Steiner's departure.

Haas owner Gene Haas emphasized the need for consistent results and efficient resource management, expressing his desire to compete properly in Formula 1. Komatsu, the new team principal, has been involved in motorsport since 2003 and is passionate about leading the team to success. He aims to improve on-track performance and build a structure that produces better results.

Komatsu has been with the team since its debut in 2016 and is dedicated to improving the team's competitiveness. He aims to achieve the kind of results the team is capable of, with the support of Gene Haas and their partners. The team looks forward to a new chapter under Komatsu's leadership, with the goal of delivering improved on-track performances.

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