A lot of sponsors say I actually do not want to be associated with the winner because then I’m always second," he observed. It is clear throughout that every thought and decision for Steiner is about what is best for Haas and its workforce. Guenther Steiner (right) with counterparts Toto Wolff of Mercedes and Red Bull’s Christian Horner. Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images Steiner insists that he has still watched “nothing” of Drive to Survive. “I will not watch any of it until I retire.”

It’s clear from the outset who this book is aimed at: those fans of F1 who came to the sport via the smash-hit Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive. The clue is in the name, but also in the author.

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Literally get me an interview with Guenther. Two aries in front of a camera, I promise it'll be a good time. If you put Oscar on there too, you'll have three aries. With all our different personalities it's bound to be chaos.

What sets this book apart from other F1 books is its unique format. Instead of the traditional biographies that we've seen before from technical directors and principals which span an entire career, Steiner chronicles the events and difficulties of the 2022 season. He shares the changes and challenges brought about by the lingering effects of the pandemic, as well as what it's like to be a team principal managing the impact of new FIA rules, the budget cap, and handling a Russian driver with Russian sponsors amidst the developing situation in Ukraine. The book is a rare example of an active F1 boss putting his thoughts into print, however forthright and uncomplimentary. At last weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix Hülkenberg qualified on the front row of the grid alongside Verstappen. It was a significant breakthrough and Haas’s best-ever qualification, but Steiner’s elation turned to disappointment when Hülkenberg was then hit with a three-place grid penalty. I did my job and people liked what I did ... the idea about the book (was) to follow up a little bit and also to explain to people in an entertaining way a year of what I’m doing," he explained.

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Who has been the best team principal during his time in F1? “I would say [Mercedes’s] Toto Wolff because he also came in nine years ago. He looked at it very carefully for a long time and he has done a good job – not only the seven championships but also the good organisation and the way he behaves in business.” Surviving to drive is geschreven als een soort dagboek, waarbij de berichten voornamelijk zijn geschreven op de dagen waarop vrije trainingen, kwalificaties en races plaatsvinden. Door deze opzet, de dagboekvorm, wordt er rechtstreeks tegen de lezer gepraat. Hierdoor voel je je heel erg betrokken: je leeft mee en hangt aan de lippen van Steiner. Steiner shrugs. “I try not to look at them because I don’t think I’m particularly good-looking. I wouldn’t say my face is beautiful.”

But Steiner was on the right side of history and clearly grasped the issues surrounding his Russian driver Nikita Mazepin and his team’s title sponsor Uralkali immediately after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Describing the decision to drop the main sponsor he says: “There was no debate. It had to happen for the good of Haas and the good of the sport.” Later he adds wryly: “Only Haas could have a Russian driver and a Russian sponsor at the start of a Russian war.” If they like it, what I do, it means that I entertain them and they love it because they spend money to put my face on their chests. When I see it, it still amazes me." It still puts a smile on my face because it wasn’t by design. I didn’t try to do this. It just happened. If they feel happy, I’m happy for them," said Steiner.

Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. People talk about football managers being under pressure. Trust me, that's nothing. Pressure is watching one of your drivers hit a barrier at 190mph and exploding before your eyes...' Fearless and candid... A gleeful guide to a bonkers sport from a loveable rogue insider.' - The Times In his book Steiner suggests: “The two things I am good at, other than talking bullshit all the time, are delivering bad news and persuading people to say yes. That’s my entire skillset.” So which of these three attributes has he had to call on most this year, with Haas having scored eight points and lying eighth out of 10 teams in the championship? “Actually, I didn’t have to use a lot this season. It’s going pretty steady. Fingers crossed because it could all change. But it’s one of the calmest years up to now.” We look like a bunch of legends‘! Günther Steiner, teambaas van het Haas F1 team, staat na de Netflix-serie Drive to Survive bekend om zijn oneliners. Maar in zijn boek Surviving to drive biedt hij een inkijkje in het 2022 seizoen, en zijn visie op de races.