Gunther Steiner highlights Schumacher's Suzuka accident as final straw
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner pinpointed Mick Schumacher's costly Suzuka crash as the catalyst for his exit from the team. Schumacher was dropped by Haas after two years and a final season which included high-cost shunts, shaking the team's confidence in him.
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has opened up about the decisive moment that led to Mick Schumacher's departure from the team, as recounted in his new book "Surviving to Drive."
In the book, Steiner describes a crash on a "slow lap" at the Japanese Grand Prix as the final straw that ended Schumacher's time with Haas.
Schumacher's Struggles and Costly Crashes
Mick Schumacher, son of the legendary seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, joined Haas as a rookie in 2021.
Despite scoring his first points at Silverstone, the young driver struggled to maintain consistency and match his teammate Kevin Magnussen's performance in 2022.
Schumacher also proved costly for the team, with high-priced accidents in Saudi Arabia and Monaco.
However, it was his crash on an 'in-lap' at Suzuka that pushed Steiner to the breaking point.
Steiner, in his book, recalled the incident in detail, saying, "On the in-lap! Sure, it was very wet out there on the track, but nobody else managed to write off a car while they were driving back to the pits."
The crash cost the team an estimated $700,000, adding to Schumacher's already substantial $2 million repair bill for the year.
Steiner's New Book
Despite facing criticism from Mick's uncle, Ralf Schumacher, Guenther Steiner remains true to his word and is not one to put on a show for the cameras.
In an interview with The Times, Steiner explained his approach to his role as a team principal: "I don’t want to watch myself because if you watch yourself, you get critical about your actions."
"But I’m not an actor. My job is being a team principal, so that’s what I need to do."
Steiner's book, "Surviving to Drive," is set to be released on April 20.
It offers a candid and insightful look at his experiences and decision-making in the world of Formula 1, including the events that led to Schumacher's exit from Haas.
Since leaving Haas, Mick Schumacher has joined Mercedes as a reserve driver for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
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