Guenther Steiner on swearing, the Miami Grand Prix, and McLaren vs. Ferrari
Ahead of the 2025 F1 season SB Nation caught up with the one and only Guenther Steiner
For many years Guenther Steiner was one of the faces of Formula 1.
A star turn on the Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive propelled the only Team Principal in Haas F1 history into a household name. Steiner’s outgoing nature, legendary demeanor, and incredible quotes made him one of the featured players on Drive to Survive as F1 grew in popularity around the world.
Haas leaned into their Team Principal’s growing stardom, going as far as to turn some of those legendary quotes into merchandise that you could purchase at the team’s online store. For years you could buy T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase “[h]e does not fok smash my door” on the front, along with a host of Steiner-related merchandise.
Of course, what Steiner really said after an incident at the 2019 British Grand Prix was not “fok.”
However, now Steiner is on the other side of the pit wall, having been replaced at Haas ahead of the 2024 F1 season by Ayao Komatsu. Since leaving the role of Team Principal Steiner has taken on an analyst role, as well as a race ambassador role with the Miami Grand Prix. It is that second role that saw Steiner sit down with a few media members, including SB Nation, for a discussion on Tuesday.
But given the flashpoint that is swearing in F1, and all of motorsport these days, it was not a surprise that Steiner was asked about the sport’s governing body’s recent rule changes regarding misconduct.
“Everybody asks me that question because there’s an obvious reason for it,” said Steiner with a laugh on Tuesday.
“In my opinion it could have been, it could have been dealt with at a much lower level, not making it such a big issue about it,” continued Steiner. “You know, because it’s a big penalty money-wise, and it can go into sporting [penalties] as well.”
The former Haas boss then distinguished what is said during press conferences, and what is said at the apex in the middle of a race.
“Sitting down with drivers, they’re all grown-ups, you know, as I call them. Ask them, ‘[H]ey guys, tone it down in a press conference, don’t [swear in a press conference] or in an interview, live interview, and stuff like this,” said Steiner. “But in a race car, I always see it like this.
“I mean, put yourself in a race car. You’re going over 300 [kilometers per hour] and somebody cuts you off on a corner or something. What are you going to say when you’re full of adrenaline? You’re coming up with some words which are not complimentary.
“You’re not saying, ‘[h]ey, could you, could you not do this next time?’
“You say something and it’s part of emotions.
“I mean, a sport is also about emotions,” added Steiner. “We are not, it’s not an AI sport. It’s not robots driving. It’s human beings, you know, and they have got emotions and they’ve got something to say.”
Steiner too is nothing if not emotional, and one of the sport’s biggest personalities always has something to say.
Guenther Steiner on the Miami Grand Prix
Steiner is also here to talk with us about the Miami Grand Prix, in his role as an ambassador for one of the newer races on the F1 calendar. Since joining the schedule for the 2022 season the Miami Grand Prix has become one of the more fascinating races each year, including last year when Lando Norris broke through with his long-awaited first F1 Grand Prix victory. Last year’s Miami Grand Prix was also one of the host venues for the all-female F1 Academy, and race promoters were even named Promoters of the Year at the annual Formula 1 Promoter Awards earlier this month.
Tuesday Steiner highlighted how preparations are already underway for this year’s Miami Grand Prix, held the first weekend in May.
I was down there last week two weeks ago now, and the work has started to get everything ready,” began Steiner. “It was so good last year, so everything is getting ready.
“It was a good experience being there and seeing that everything gets ready again, to have a great weekend and to give the fans what they want. Entertainment and a good race. I think that will all happen in a few months.”
The race promoters are certainly not sitting still. Already the Miami Grand Prix has announced new ticket packages for the 2025 installment, including a McLaren grandstand where fans clad in papaya can sit together to honor Norris’ maiden victory, to new ticket packages that allow fans to sit in different spots each day during race weekend.
But more than anything else, the Miami Grand Prix has become a race that the drivers themselves enjoy, due to the challenging layout of the track. This is something that Tom Garfinkel, the vice chairman, president, and CEO of the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium, and the managing partner of the Formula One Miami Grand Prix, explained to SB Nation ahead of last year’s race.
“I mean, I actually drove the track a couple days ago. I drove one of our wide receivers around the track. I got him up to 156 miles an hour on the back straight,” described Garfinkel last May. “I did three laps but there’s one corner, I just can’t figure out. And I was talking to [Juan Pablo] Montoya about it actually, because when Montoya drove the track the first year, he loves the track. He’s like, ‘[i]t’s one of my favorite tracks I’ve ever driven. It’s really challenging.’
“So I think [the drivers] like it because it’s challenging.”
Steiner got to experience the circuit in Miami during his trip to Hard Rock Stadium a few weeks ago.
“I went around the racetrack. I never drove. It was a very fast car, a McLaren with an instructor. So I’m getting ready to participate myself in the Grand Prix this year as the ambassador, you know, as the 21st car,” joked Steiner. “I really look forward to the race in the beginning of May.”
Guenther Steiner on the 2025 F1 season
Last year’s Miami Grand Prix was a highlight of a fascinating season, as Norris captured his first win, Ferrari took the other two spots on the podium with Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc, and for the first time in ages, it looked as if a true title fight was on our hands.
While Norris could not track down Max Verstappen for the Drivers’ Championship, McLaren edged out Ferrari by just 14 points for the Constructors’ title.
The 2025 season looks to be a season filled with fascinating storylines, between Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari, potential title fights in both the Constructors’ Championship race and the Drivers’ race, and a host of rookies joining the grid.
As such, Steiner expects a few different race winners this year, including potentially one of the new drivers joining the grid.
“I think we will see different winners this year, and I’m pretty sure about that,” began Steiner. “I think we’ll see different winners this year.
“Do we see any of the rookies winning? You know, I think that’s difficult, but not impossible.”
However, something else the teams will need to balance is competing in 2025, and getting ready for 2026. Next year F1 will look vastly different, not only with an 11th team in Cadillac joining the grid, but when a new set of technical regulations go into effect. Teams were able to start working on their 2026 challengers starting with the new calendar year, and Steiner expects many teams to shift their focus to 2026 before the summer.
“I actually spoke with some people which are doing this in F1, in the moment which are faced with this, because I think everybody will shift to the ‘26 car in May because that is the future,” said Steiner in response to a question from SB Nation. “If you develop until May the ‘25 car, you still bring parts until the middle of the year, because until you develop and then you have to make the parts, obviously that takes time.
“So I do not think that there will be a lot of development going into a ‘25 car after May, beginning of June. Except somebody may be fighting for the world championship, you know, if the battle is close, then obviously you decide, ‘[h]ey, we need to go a little bit longer [with developing the 2025 car] we win this championship.
“But I think everybody making their plan in the moment, I would say in June we are on 95% or 97% [the] ‘26 car.”
Now the ultimate question for Steiner.
Who will take the title in 2025?
“I see the four teams again, close together,” begins Steiner when asked about the 2025 title fight.
“I mean last year I think it was very close together, but my favorites are Ferrari and McLaren because they were so strong end of last year and I think they figured out what the car needs to be fast, you know, not only downforce but it’s also balancing the car, the handling, how they manage all that. So I think they will be the favorites for me,” continued Steiner.
He then turned his focus to driver pairings for a moment.
“[McLaren and Ferrari] have the driver pairing. They have both two experienced drivers while Mercedes and Red Bull, they’ve got a rookie each. I mean, Liam [Lawson] is not a real rookie, but he hasn’t done a complete season,” added Steiner. “But it just makes it difficult, you know, because a rookie is a rookie even if he’s super good, he still needs to learn a lot.
This is an area where Steiner has a great deal of experience. While at Haas the team turned to a pair of rookie drivers in Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher.
It did not go well, as Haas failed to score a single point that season.
As for who Steiner thinks will come out on top? The Tifosi might want to look away.
“So I feel the two strongest teams will be Ferrari and McLaren, and I would say maybe if I would need to pick between the two of them, McLaren, because they did a good job last year. I think they were very good at the end of the season.”
We will see if Steiner is right soon enough.