In 2021, when Haas didn’t produce a aggressive automotive, Schumacher was a lot better than his fellow rookie Nikita Mazepin—but additionally, sadly, crashed rather a lot. And when that continued into 2022, and Haas re-signed its previous driver Kevin Magnussen to exchange Mazepin, Schumacher’s performances weren’t ok to stability out the dangerous.
Steiner reduce his younger driver little slack, and the fifth season of Drive to Survive that aired in February this yr revealed simply how scathing he might be. One brutal instance was when Schumacher expressed concern over the workforce radio in the course of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix about his brake temperatures, and Steiner muttered to himself on the pitwall: “He is going so fucking sluggish he does not want the brakes.”
“It is not private,” Steiner counters. “Within the warmth of the battle, you say issues the place, possibly should you ask me an hour later, I might phrase them somewhat bit totally different. I would not say I neglect in regards to the mic, however I do not care as a result of they should be mentioned. We’re working, we’re preventing exhausting – this isn’t a simple job, so my job is not only to be good with folks. If any individual does not contribute, we have to do one thing about it. I am sorry.”
Earlier than the Schumacher-Mazepin season, Steiner had labored primarily with older, extra skilled drivers. Having changed Schumacher with veteran Nico Hulkenberg, he’s in additional acquainted territory. He admits this most likely fits him higher. “I do know that I am not the best character to take care of,” Steiner says. “And I am not attempting to be tough as a result of I wish to be tough. That is me. Everyone’s acquired his persona, mine is what it’s. Some folks like my persona, some folks actually hate it. However I am not gonna change for different folks.”
Like him or detest him, Steiner is a refreshingly real character. F1 workforce principals—equal elements coach, normal supervisor, rocket scientist, and therapist—are usually very cautious what they are saying and shield their place in any respect prices. Steiner’s method wouldn’t be attainable with out the authority he carries at Haas, the place the eponymous workforce proprietor is completely satisfied to let him run the present just about uninterrupted. “If this workforce can be a giant company, I feel will probably be harder,” he says. “However for the time being, I feel it really works. I might battle with out the liberty, simply as my character. And if you grow old, you actually have gotten somewhat little bit of a bonus. I can select what I am doing as effectively. I do not wish to sound boastful. But when I do not do that, I’ll simply do one thing totally different.”
Which is why, for instance, Steiner says he would by no means do what his good pal and (till this season) fellow midfield F1 workforce principal Fred Vasseur did over the offseason: take the Ferrari job.
A transfer to F1’s most well-known workforce actually wouldn’t attraction?
“No,” he says, definitively. “And I do not wish to sound boastful, to not wish to go to Ferrari. I am simply very completely satisfied right here. I’ve a job to complete. And I am completely satisfied to do this job. For me, typically it is higher to be the pinnacle of a mouse than the tail of a cat.”
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