Former Haas boss Guenther Steiner stated he was not shocked by the crew’s stronger than anticipated begin to the System One season and prompt they’d intentionally talked down their prospects.

New principal Ayao Komatsu warned earlier than the Bahrain season-opener on March 2 that U.S.-owned Haas, who completed final of the ten groups total in 2023, have been more likely to be working close to the again of the sphere initially.

Kevin Magnussen was twelfth in that race earlier than teammate Nico Hulkenberg completed tenth in Saudi Arabia. Each drivers have been then within the factors with ninth and tenth locations in Australia final Sunday.

“The crew and [former technical director] Simone Resta, they did a great job as a result of the automotive was carried out final yr. It was carried out earlier than I left,” Steiner instructed a video name on Wednesday after being introduced as an envoy for Could’s Miami Grand Prix.

“The automotive was completed, it was in meeting already,” added the Italian, who was changed by Komatsu in January. “I really had it proper, the place they ended as much as be, as a result of I knew the numbers from the wind tunnel the place the crew ought to find yourself.

“I feel at the start they performed it all the way down to have an excuse for it to start out off with, after which it was higher than they anticipated. That’s for me mistaken to do.”

Steiner, who was again within the paddock in Melbourne and carried out the interviews with the highest three race finishers, stated he was comfortable for the Ferrari-powered crew and had no unhealthy emotions.

“I do know the technical folks in Italy they did a great job final yr, they labored very arduous to provide the automotive that is working now. Solely time will inform what’s occurring sooner or later,” he stated.

Steiner has additionally labored with System One tv after changing into one thing of an unlikely cult hero by way of his blunt, typically expletive-laden appearances on the Netflix docu-series ‘Drive to Survive.’

The Italian assured followers of the collection that he would nonetheless be a seamless presence.

“I am working with them [Netflix], how a lot they [use] I by no means know,” he stated. “Possibly now I am essentially the most boring man ever they usually do not convey something. They’re nonetheless filming, they did rather a lot with me, my new jobs.

“They may carry on filming however I do not know the way a lot it should make [onto the screen].”