Imagine getting the call that changes your career while standing in front of a deli counter. That’s exactly what former F1 team boss Guenther Steiner says happened to him.
Steiner shared the story on the High Performance Podcast network, revealing that Haas team owner Gene Haas called him while he was in a supermarket. He was picking up ham—or salami—for dinner when he learned his contract wouldn’t be renewed.
According to Steiner, his wife was right there with him. He recalled telling her, “I’m not with Haas anymore,” and she was confused, asking what he meant. But the moment wasn’t as dramatic as you might expect.
“We went home, had dinner, I slept perfectly,” Steiner said. He even admitted he felt happier the next morning, because a new chapter was opening for him.
The outspoken former team principal says he wasn’t surprised by the call. He explained that his relationship with Gene Haas had been strained for a while. Steiner admitted he didn’t agree with the team’s direction and wasn’t shy about speaking up.
“I tried to fix it, I had ideas… but it was not welcome to have ideas,” he said.
Steiner also took credit for the team’s strong performance in 2024, the season after his departure. He insisted that the groundwork he and others laid—including former technical director Simone Resta—was what sparked the turnaround.
So what’s next for a man who got his pink slip between the cold cuts and still slept like a baby?
