Gunther Steiner stated that in Formula 1, only a few team principals can make independent decisions, while others are obligated to receive instructions from higher-ups.
Former Haas team principal Steiner parted ways with Haas at the end of the 2023 season and has since begun working as a commentator for RTL.
In a recent interview with The Times, Steiner made striking comments regarding the distribution of authority among team principals and the commercial management of the sport. He noted that with Formula 1 evolving into a massive business, many team principals are unable to act independently when making significant decisions.
Steiner highlighted Toto Wolff, Christian Horner, and Fred Vasseur as examples, stating that these three individuals have the most influence in managing the sport compared to other team principals. He remarked, “The positions previously known as director or team manager are now referred to as team principal.”
“However, only a few individuals, such as Wolff, Horner, and Vasseur, can make decisions on their own. The rest must wait for instructions from others before making important decisions.”
Steiner also expressed that many team principals in Formula 1 do not have the authority to make decisions on commercial matters, which he believes harms the management of the sport: “In some meetings, team principals can discuss tires, but they have no authority on commercial issues.”
“The media even knows that they are merely intermediaries.”
