Guenther Steiner linked with possible F1 team takeover as he plans return

Guenther Steiner has been linked with a sensational return to F1 as a team owner - not just a team principal.

Steiner was replaced as Haas team boss at the start of 2024, paving the way for Ayao Komatsu to take the role.

Rumours are now emerging linking Steiner to a possible F1 team ownership bid.

According to Japanese publication Autosport-web, Steiner is plotting a return, this time looking for an ownership stake within an existing team.

Steiner has already outlined his desire to challenge at the front of F1 if he was to return - not just battle for points as he did with Haas.

“I’ve spent so many years in F1 that I want to do more than just participate and score points every once in a while. I want to really compete and try to win,” he said previously.

“I’m not going to come back just to run a team if I don’t have that opportunity.”

The aforementioned report hinted that Steiner already has the funds - and investor - to make it possible.

Red Bull’s second team - RB - has been mooted as a potential team Steiner could acquire an ownership stake in.

However, even if Steiner was to take over, the team would be obliged to run Red Bull engines until 2030 and run one of their junior drivers.

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko revealed earlier this month “there are many interested parties” in acquiring RB.

"There are many interested parties, but in the end it is a shareholder decision,” he explained. “The price is high for a team, nothing has been decided yet."

RB currently sit sixth in the 2024 F1 constructors’ championship after a strong start to the campaign with Yuki Tsunoda.

It’s the first year without Franz Tost at the helm as he stepped down to open the door for Peter Bayer to become team CEO and Laurent Mekies as team principal.