Steiner wants F1 return to start from scratch
NXTbets Pro | Published On: August 13, 2026
Steiner and Formula 1
Guenther Steiner says a Formula 1 return has to give him a real challenge. He told the Up To Speed podcast he would only step back into the sport for the right project, and he made clear that a title alone would not pull him back. Steiner wants a role that lets him build something from the ground up and shape it his way. He also wants direct influence over the decisions that matter. That is the standard he set for any comeback. He has spent his time away from Haas looking for work that fits that idea. Steiner said his recent career choices have been driven by projects, not routine posts, and that point has become central to how he talks about his next move. The message is simple. If he returns to Formula 1, he wants more than a badge on the door. He wants a job that tests him, gives him control and lets him leave a mark on the team or program he joins.
Steiner on TV
Steiner has liked the work that followed his Haas exit, and he has made that clear as well. He said he has enjoyed life as a TV pundit and has also stayed involved with the Red Bull KTM Tech3 MotoGP team. Those roles fit the pattern he described. They keep him around high-level competition and put him in places where judgment and insight matter. Steiner also used humor to explain why television appealed to him after Haas. He said he went into TV because he wanted to be as good as David Coulthard, a line that carried a sharp edge. He added that matching Coulthard on television was harder than starting an F1 team. The joke landed because it matched the rest of his message. Steiner is drawn to tough jobs and clear standards. He does not sound interested in easy assignments or titles handed out for status. He sounds interested in work where performance shows quickly and where he can measure himself against people who already set the bar. That is why his post-Haas path has made sense to him. It has kept him active in racing, but away from the routine that he said no longer fits.
Haas challenge
Steiner also pointed back to Haas as the kind of challenge he wants again. He said creating the team and bringing it to the grid was the sort of project that drives him. That example matters because it shows the scale of challenge he is chasing. He is not talking about stepping into a ready-made operation and collecting a new title. He is talking about a role that starts with a blank page and asks him to help write the first lines. His time at Haas ended after the team finished last in the Constructors’ Championship, and Haas replaced him after that season. Even with that exit behind him, Steiner framed the experience as proof of the sort of work he values. Building a Formula 1 team from the ground up demands decisions, pressure and constant problem-solving. That is the standard he keeps returning to in his comments. It also explains why he has not rushed toward any return. Steiner said he would come back only if the job challenges him, lets him shape the operation and gives him a voice in the key calls. In his view, that is what makes a comeback worth taking.
