The sensationalisation of the events surrounding the circus doesn’t actually stop with the collaboration between Netflix and Formula 1, for the highly popular Drive to Survive, which saw a number of figures stand out.
This time, however, it is a specific character that takes the spotlight and is the protagonist of a new programme: Guenther Steiner, Haas F1 Team Principal.
After his appearances in the Netflix series, now up to its fifth season, on which the headlight was turned on him for his heated comments and treatment towards his drivers, the Team Principal seems to be in contact with the US broadcaster “CBS”.
Steiner’s F1 career started in 2002 at Jaguar as managing director. After spending a year with them, he departed F1 for a couple of years. He would join Red Bull in 2005 as technical operations director following their takeover of the British manufacturer. But like his Jaguar spell, it didn’t last long.
Following a number of years working in other Motorsport categories and projects, Steiner returned to Formula One in 2016 as Haas team boss, a role he still holds seven years on.
Their greatest day came at Interlagos last year, with Kevin Magnussen securing pole position for the São Paulo Grand Prix.
Photo Credit: Haas F1 Team
In contrast with Drive to Survive, which often has manipulated situations and footage for the sake of drama, this second project seems to be a workplace comedy show for which Guenther Steiner serves as non-writing executive producer.
The spectacularization of sport by enhancing, on the one hand, the dramatic side through Netflix and, on the other hand, the comic side with a leading character as in the new CBS project, seems to be the clean cut of the change of ownership between Bernie Ecclestone and Liberty Media, which took place in 2017. A move that transformed F1 and drew quite a bit of criticism for its turn towards Show Business.
In the name of attracting new young fans to the sport, extra activities in the paddock and around the circus increase year by year. And this is just the latest news.
Steiner will be able to give the show a new cut, certainly more colourful and ironic. What it may represent for F1 remains to be seen.
