The Impact of Driver Personalities on F1 Fan Engagement

This week we welcome one of F1’s most charismatic figures: Guenther Steiner. His expletive ridden rants on the hit Netflix show Drive to Survive turned him from a cameo role in F1 into one of its most recognizable figures.

Guenther brought Haas into F1 a decade ago with a different model, using as many components from Ferrari as possible. They achieved 5th place in the 2018 Constructors’ Championship, beating legacy teams like McLaren, Williams and Sauber.

But in the 2020s Haas languished in the bottom three and team owner Gene Haas didn’t renew Guenther’s contract for 2024. He is now on the sidelines, with plenty to say.

We discuss the importance of personality in modern F1, what he misses about being a team boss, whether F1 is now a show and what advice Guenther would give to Andretti as they struggle to break into F1 as a new team.

James is joined in the studio for chat and analysis by Autosport Chief Motorsport Writer Ben Hunt and Will Buxton, narrator of Drive to Survive and host of F1TV.

Email your comments or questions to: jamesallenonf1@autosport.com