Miami GP ambassador Guenther Steiner reveals he WILL RETURN to Drive to Survive, talks about his possible return to F1 and explains why Mercedes and Toto Wolff hold all the cards ahead of the 2025 restructuring.

For Formula One fans of the so-called ‘Drive to Survive era’, there is one man who stands out as the face of the sport. He is not the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, or the rising star Lando Norris with the legions of social media of his. media supporters. It’s not even Max Verstappen, the Red Bull icon who doesn’t go more than a fortnight without winning a race. Instead, it’s Guenther Steiner, the former Haas F1 team principal, whose infectious and boorish personality made him the surprise star of the mega-popular Netflix documentary series. Therefore, when news broke of his departure from the sport at the end of the 2023 season, it immediately sparked speculation about his future with the program. Does the fact that there are no more Guenthers in the paddock mean that there will be no more Guenthers on our television screens? Speaking exclusively to Mail Sport from Miami this week, the 58-year-old Italian was able to clarify a few things, and the news will delight his hordes of fans. supporters. Guenther Steiner spoke exclusively to Mail Sport about the future of him and Drive to Survive. The former Haas F1 boss has become a rock star amid the success of the Netfix documentary series. When asked if he plans to sit in front of the Netflix cameras during the next season, Steiner said: ‘I already did! I don’t know if they will use it, I can’t promise, but I put my effort into it. ‘So yeah, maybe you still have to see me!’ In truth, his departure from the paddock was a shock. Regardless, the end of 2023 doesn’t mean we’ve seen less of it. In the months since he cleared out his locker at Haas, he has worked regularly on a column for the F1 website and has enjoyed pundit roles on RTL in Germany and Network 10 in Australia. Next month, he will head up the Miami Grand Prix in a new ambassador role, and his post-F1 life has become almost as busy as his time in the paddock. “I tried to do little, and suddenly I found myself busy again. I’m actually a lot busier than I thought three months ago, to be honest,” he explains. “People in Bahrain said to me, ‘it’s good to see you back,’ and I said, ‘actually, I was never far away.'” In the role I play now, I’m taking the time to learn things I didn’t have time to learn. before, because I was focused on competing. Now I can see a little left, right and center; my vision has expanded.’ Despite leaving Haas in 2023, Steiner returned to the Bahrain paddock for the first match of 2024. The Italian revealed to Mail Sport that he has already sat down for the Drive to Survive interviews. Currently, Steiner’s vision is focused on the next month and in the third edition of the Miami Grand Prix. After a difficult first year and a much improved second, the F1 roadshow will arrive in South Florida once again. It has not been easy, but Steiner explains that the community of F1 is now getting closer to the glitz and glamor that comes with racing in one of the most prominent locations on the calendar. “In F1, people don’t like change, they don’t want new things,” he says. ” They are skeptical and you have to prove yourself…Miami has done it.” They showed that it is a different approach. ‘It’s not just about the car race, but also the entertainment factor. It’s the perfect place. Miami is a city partying, food, fashion, it has it all. There was doubt, it was a new concept, having a career behind the stadium. ‘The first year is always difficult because you have to learn a lot. But everything that was wrong was fixed for the second year and they continue to do so. The Miami GP is now just part of F1, no one doubts it anymore: we are going to Miami. Looks like he’s been here for 10 years.’ At Miami’s star-studded event, drivers race around the Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium. Vin Diesel waves to the crowd on the grid before the 2023 Grand Prix in South Florida. While much of Miami’s excitement revolves around the off-track experience, this year it is set to deliver there was also suspense on race day, with Max Verstappen just four points ahead of Charles Leclerc in the standings. pilots. Last year around this time, Red Bull’s closest rival was Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who was already 44 points behind, with Leclerc trailing in seventh and 85 points. out of rhythm. Steiner’s former team Haas is also in good form, sitting seventh in the standings having overtaken Williams, Sauber and Alpine in early 2024. For the former team boss, there appears to be no ill will or frustration over be from the outside looking in. Instead, he smiles when she talks about his old friends and seems genuinely delighted by the heights they are at without him. “I’m very happy for the team that has scored points in the last few races,” he says. “The performance and development of the car was clearly there last year, but what we didn’t know at the time was how good the rivals were, so you can never know where you will end up.” Ayao Komatsu replaced Steiner as Haas team principal and they sit in seventh place. Kevin Magnussen made his way at Suzuka on the Friday of the Japanese Grand Prix last year, when we realized we were in a difficult position with the concept of the car and changed the concept, everyone worked very hard. Simone Resta, who also left the team at the end of the year, did a good job of pushing everyone to the limit, because it is a very limited team compared to the big ones. “But I’m not surprised where they are and I’m actually very happy for the team that scored points.” There are a lot of people there from day one and I know them very well and I’m still friends with them. “I’m happy for them and I hope they got a big bonus.” As for cash, the next few months will be vital in determining the 2025 grid, with at least 13 of the 20 drivers out of contract and fighting. for his place in the sport. While some, like Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso, are almost certain to find a landing spot, others, including the two Haas drivers, have a lot to prove and could still find themselves out. looking inward. As far as Steiner is concerned, there is one man who holds all the cards ahead of the 2025 season, and the games will only begin when Mercedes boss Toto Wolff plays his hand. According to Steiner, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff holds all the cards heading into the 2025 season. Carlos Sainz is the man most likely to take Lewis Hamilton’s place at Mercedes, Steiner believes: “I think Max will stay in Red Bull, that’s my opinion.” he explains. ‘I don’t know what they do with the second driver, if Checo Pérez stays or not, I have no idea. Mercedes obviously needs a second driver because Lewis will be leaving at the end of the year.’Toto [Wolff] He will take his time making a decision, because no one will move until that position is filled. You have many good options available, so you are not in a rush to make the decision. I think Carlos Sainz will end up there in a Mercedes. That’s my biggest guess.’ Or Kimi Antonelli, the junior driver, but I think Toto wants to see what the boy can do in F2 before making the decision. But otherwise, everything else will just fall into place once he fills that seat.’Within the F1 garages, it’s not just the drivers who chop and change. Mechanics, other team personnel and, of course, team managers could also be on the move. So what about Steiner’s future? Could he return to the paddock in 2025? ‘I’m not saying no. I could be [back]’,’ reveals Steiner. “It has to be a project that I want to do, not just manage a team and be told, ‘Hey, this guy left, now there’s Guenther.'” “It has to be a project with a clear vision of what they want to achieve and see. if there are the means to do it, and I am very open to talking about it.