Guenther Steiner insists Pink Bull’s efficiency will not be instantly impacted by Christian Horner’s abrupt dismissal.
Horner was faraway from his place as crew principal and CEO of Pink Bull with rapid impact after the British Grand Prix, with Laurent Mekies promoted from sister squad Racing Bulls as his alternative.
Horner had led Pink Bull since its entry into F1 in 2005, guiding the crew to eight drivers’ titles and 6 constructors’ championships. Nevertheless, his tenure had not been with out controversy, notably a texting scandal in 2024 that triggered an unbiased investigation.
Former Haas crew boss Steiner admitted it’s tough to make a remark when the explanations for Horner’s exit haven’t been publicly disclosed, however prompt it might have stemmed from deteriorating relationships between the Briton and different members of the Pink Bull firm.
“I do not know why he was let go, so it is tough to say proper or mistaken what the explanations are,” Steiner, who labored with Horner at Pink Bull earlier than forming Haas, stated on the Enterprise of Sport podcast.
“I’d say Christian received a lot of championships ultimately, but when there was one thing that wasn’t working internally, if there was an excessive amount of friction, at some stage you need to make change.
“As a result of if there’s friction, it takes power and folks do not concentrate on the fitting issues to make the crew and the automobile higher, however place themselves within the crew.
“There may be nothing else [but] an enormous company. Massive corporates usually wrestle when there’s a energy wrestle. If it’s all clear and plain crusing, corporations are profitable.
“However I do not know what occurred internally. For me it was a bit of bit shocking what occurred.”
Guenther Steiner predicts Pink Bull efficiency
Horner’s exit comes simply six months earlier than the next-generation of F1 vehicles hit the observe for the primary time in pre-season testing.
The 2026 guidelines are notably difficult for Pink Bull, with the crew having elected to type its in-house engine programme in partnership with Ford following the exit of present associate Honda.
Nevertheless, Steiner believes the management modifications at Pink Bull is not going to have any penalties on the crew’s efficiency initially of the 2026 season, given the lengthy growth cycles in F1.
“Within the quick time period there’s not a big effect immediately [from] new individuals coming in or outdated individuals going,” he defined.
“These are racing vehicles, it is not a soccer crew that you just carry a brand new participant and the subsequent sport you have bought the brand new star there or the brand new expertise there.
“You probably have bought an F1 crew that’s good, it takes years to get dangerous. But additionally if you’re dangerous, it years to construct as much as be good once more. You can’t choose them [in a short term].
“Now [with] Christian going, within the subsequent 12 months of races, there might be no change. The scene is already set for subsequent 12 months. The vehicles are beneath growth. Pink Bull is doing their very own PU subsequent 12 months, their very own engine and every part. That is all arrange.
“Now if someone is available in and modifications [things], she or he would not have the time to do something as a result of every part is such an extended lead time.
“Now Christian leaves, you’ll not see a spike, neither down or up. Will probably be extra what’s subsequent, how they’re doing it, how they’re restructuring and what had been their precise issues with Christian as a result of I do not know.
“The crew nonetheless received races this 12 months, so it is not this dangerous. Clearly, they aren’t the place they wish to be. However I put that one down [to] they can not get a second driver who can sustain with Max [Verstappen], as a result of should you take Max out, Pink Bull might be final within the championship.”
Steiner had additionally been the face of Haas F1 crew since its inception in 2016, however his contract with the squad wasn’t renewed on the finish of the 2023 season.
