‘He has not got the patience’: Steiner questions Stroll’s F1 strategy

Aston Martin’s 2026 campaign in F1 has so far been a troublesome affair, and former Haas boss Guenther Steiner has now added a blunt, unfiltered diagnosis of his own.

For a team that entered the sport’s new era armed with a state-of-the-art factory, a works Honda deal, and the legendary Adrian Newey at the helm, the results have been nothing short of a car crash.

With the team struggling to convert its vast investment, new factory, and high-profile technical hires into performance, Steiner believes the issue isn’t potential, but partly patience.

Speaking recently to Justin Bell on the latter’s Drive to Wynn podcast, Steiner did not question team owner Lawrence Stroll’s ambition or spending power, but he was direct about what he sees as a structural flaw at the top of the organization.

“Lawrence Stroll? You cannot blame him. He has put what he said he’ll do. He did it,” he said.

“It just was not successful. I mean he built up the new facility in Silverstone, Lawrence, which is fantastic, you know, he got the best people in.

“I think he has not got the patience which is needed in Formula 1. You know, if it doesn’t work in six or twelve months, he changes. And the cycle is not twelve months in Formula 1, it is longer than that. You need to wait until something works.”

Newey in the spotlight

Steiner also raised eyebrows over Adrian Newey’s position within the team structure, questioning whether the legendary designer is being used in the right capacity.

“I think if you were to ask Adrian here, he would say, I don’t know why I did this, or why I agreed to this, or I don’t know how it happened if he wanted to be team principal or not,” he explained.

“But obviously that is not his strength. He’s very good in what he’s doing, which is designing cars. So, but for him, going in there was just like, why the hell that? I think it was an alien thing. Again, it shows that you should always put the people where their strength is, never over promote them.”

A moving target Aston must chase

While Aston Martin’s early-season pace deficit is already evident, Steiner stressed the deeper challenge is the relentless nature of F1 development itself:

“They will get it sorted. You know, that is not, will it be six months? Will it be 18 months? I don’t know that one. I don’t know that answer, but they will get it sorted,” Steiner concluded.

“But, you’re shooting on a moving target, because all the other teams, they’re not standing still, waiting until you catch up.

“So you have to catch up and gain on the other ones, you know. So it’s difficult.”

For Aston Martin, the verdict is as stark as it is familiar in Formula 1: money and ambition can build a project, but only time – and stability – decide whether it becomes a winning one.

Read also: Brundle: Aston Martin ‘horror show’ won’t improve until 2027

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