Günther Steiner on his leadership style: “I do not want a yes-man”

(Motorsport-Total.com) – Many Formula 1 fans believe that Haas team principal Günther Steiner is not going well in the Netflix documentary series “Formula 1: Drive to Survive”. The 54-year-old cursed several times in the series and seems in the eyes of some spectators not very empathetic. Steiner himself reveals in the podcast ‘Beyond The Grid’ that he has no problem with it. He was just like that and did not want to pretend.

“It was not a lot of work for me,” says the Haas team principal, shrugging his shoulders as he shoots, and declaring, “I’m the way I am, I can not pretend, otherwise I would not be doing my job not an actor, so I’m not going to act, I just do my job and if they do not like [from Netflix] what they’re filming, it’s their problem – not mine. “

In fact, Steiner was even asked before the broadcast of the scenes, if they could send the material so. The creators of the documentary were “very fair” to him. “I always talk to people very clearly, some think that I am too direct,” says Steiner. However, he deliberately behaves this way and explains that it is important to always approach things openly and honestly.

“I respect it, when people discuss with me – I even want that – I do not want to have a yes-man,” reveals Steiner, explaining: “To start an honest dialogue, I have to be the honest one.” Among other things got in the series also Haas driver Romain Grosjean his fat away. But Steiner explains, “He knows me well enough now, we never talked about this Netflix thing, because there is no reason to.”

No problem between him and Grosjean

“I think that honesty has helped him get over his problems at the beginning of the year [2018],” says Steiner, justifying his harsh management style. He feels confirmed and declares, “The second half of the year was fantastic, he was the Romain we know, I always told him, ‘Boy, you know how it’s done, you just had to find it again.'”

There are no problems between Grosjean and him. He also reveals, “When I speak that way, sarcasm is sometimes present, and people who know me can interpret that correctly.” At the same time he makes it clear that his expressions are never reported as insulting against certain persons. They are merely an expression of his state of mind.

“I’m not trying to put it nicely in. It should not happen, but it’s part of it,” says Steiner. By the way: He himself has not seen the series yet. “Everyone talks about it, but honestly I did not even look at it, because I do not like to see myself,” reveals the 54-year-old.

Background: “Then you begin to wonder if you should be different or do things differently – and I do not want to, so I do not watch it,” says Steiner. Incidentally, this applies to his entire family. His wife had not seen the show, and his ten-year-old daughter was still too young. “It must not look!” Laughs Steiner.