Guenther Steiner
Straight-talking F1 and MotoGP leader sharing hard-earned lessons on culture, performance and resilience.
Straight-talking F1 and MotoGP leader sharing hard-earned lessons on culture, performance and resilience.
Guenther Steiner is one of motorsport’s most recognisable and respected leaders. From rally championships to the pinnacle of Formula 1 and now MotoGP, he has built teams, restructured organisations and led under relentless pressure. Known for his direct and authentic style, Guenther shares unfiltered stories from inside elite sport and translates them into sharp, practical lessons on decision-making, talent management and leading through change. Audiences leave with real tools they can use immediately.
Book Guenther Steiner for your event and give your audience a rare look behind the scenes of world-class motorsport. As CEO & Executive Chairman of the Red Bull KTM Tech3 MotoGP team and former Team Principal of the Haas F1 Team, Guenther has operated at the highest level of global sport for decades. His keynotes combine high-stakes stories with clear leadership takeaways that resonate far beyond the racetrack.
Guenther’s career spans rallying, Formula 1, NASCAR and MotoGP. Across every chapter, one thing stands out: his ability to build teams, shape culture and deliver results in complex, fast-moving environments.
Guenther began his career in rallying, where he built his technical and operational foundations. With Mazda, he achieved championship success before moving into senior technical roles at Prodrive and Ford M-Sport. There, he led teams to European titles and worked closely with World Champions including Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz.
These early years shaped his approach to leadership. Motorsport leaves no room for hesitation. Decisions must be made quickly, based on incomplete information, and executed by highly specialised teams under extreme pressure. Guenther learned how to align engineers, drivers and mechanics around a shared goal while maintaining accountability and trust.
In his talks, he draws on these experiences to explore how technical excellence, clarity in communication and personal responsibility create high-performance cultures.
In 2002, Guenther transitioned to Formula 1 as Managing Director of Jaguar Racing. Tasked with restructuring the organisation, he streamlined operations and strengthened internal processes. The team secured a podium finish at the Italian Grand Prix, marking a key milestone during a period of transformation.
He later returned to Formula 1 with Red Bull Racing and went on to establish Red Bull’s NASCAR programme in the United States. Expanding into a new championship required strategic thinking, cross-cultural leadership and the ability to scale operations internationally. Guenther gained deep experience in managing global motorsport programmes, balancing performance, commercial demands and long-term vision.
These chapters of his career form the backbone of his insights on leading through change, building new ventures and turning ambition into execution.
Handpicked by owner Gene Haas, Guenther was entrusted with forming the Haas F1 Team from the ground up. Creating a Formula 1 team is a rare challenge. From recruitment and supplier partnerships to operational structure and culture, every decision shapes long-term success.
Under Guenther’s leadership, Haas entered Formula 1 in 2016 and delivered the most successful debut by a new constructor this century. The team later secured its first Formula 1 pole position in 2022 and established itself as one of the sport’s leading independent teams.
Leading Haas required resilience. Formula 1 is unforgiving, both technically and commercially. Budgets, regulations and performance pressures constantly shift. Guenther speaks openly about setbacks, tough calls and the realities of competing against manufacturer-backed giants. His honesty is exactly what makes his keynotes powerful. He addresses what it truly takes to build a competitive organisation from scratch and keep it fighting year after year.
In 2025, Guenther expanded his leadership into two wheels by leading a consortium to acquire the Red Bull KTM Tech3 MotoGP team, one of the paddock’s longest-standing outfits. From 2026, he assumes the role of CEO, building on Tech3’s legacy while driving growth and competitive performance in the world championship.
Moving from Formula 1 to MotoGP reflects his appetite for new challenges and long-term development. He shares insights on entering established environments, respecting heritage while pushing for evolution, and setting a clear direction for future success.
Guenther became a breakout star of Netflix’s Drive to Survive, where his no-nonsense communication style resonated with audiences worldwide. His directness, humour and authenticity made him one of the most talked-about figures in the sport.
His books, Survive to Drive and Unfiltered, both became Sunday Times bestsellers. In them, he offers an honest account of leadership inside Formula 1, further strengthening his reputation as a compelling voice in global sport.
In 2025, Guenther continued his speaking career alongside an international live tour with Fane, bringing stories and lessons from elite motorsport to corporate audiences and theatres around the world. On stage, he is engaging, sharp and refreshingly straightforward.
Clear, practical lessons on leadership, culture and decision-making
First-hand experience building and scaling teams in global sport
Honest reflections on resilience, pressure and managing top talent
Guenther Steiner does not offer theory. He offers experience earned at 300 km/h. For organisations navigating change, growth or high-performance demands, his perspective is both relevant and actionable. Book Guenther Steiner for your event and give your audience leadership insights from the very heart of Formula 1 and MotoGP.
Keynote by Guenther Steiner:
Strategies for building and leading high-performance teams in elite motorsport
In Formula 1 and MotoGP, performance is measured in milliseconds. Margins are tight, pressure is constant and every decision counts. Drawing on decades at the top of global motorsport, Guenther Steiner shares what it truly takes to build and lead teams that deliver under extreme conditions. With stories from the F1 paddock and the MotoGP pit lane, he connects elite sport with everyday leadership challenges in business.
He explores how to align diverse specialists around a common goal, create clarity in chaos and maintain momentum when expectations are sky-high.
Audience takeaways:
How to build a high-performance culture with clear roles and shared accountability
Practical tools for leading under pressure and making fast, confident decisions
Ways to motivate top talent in competitive, high-stakes environments
Insights into turning setbacks into fuel for stronger performance
Keynote by Guenther Steiner:
From zero to the Formula 1 grid: turning vision into execution
Creating the Haas F1 Team from scratch was a rare challenge. From recruitment and supplier partnerships to operational structure and culture, every detail had to work from day one. In this keynote, Guenther takes audiences behind the scenes of launching a Formula 1 team and delivering the most successful debut by a new constructor this century.
He shares the realities of transforming ambition into structure, processes and results, while competing against established giants.
Audience takeaways:
How to move from vision to execution with speed and focus
Building scalable structures that support sustainable growth
Making strategic hires and creating alignment from the start
Leading a new venture with resilience, clarity and direction
Keynote by Guenther Steiner:
How engineering excellence and data-driven decisions win races
In motorsport, innovation is survival. Advanced engineering, cutting-edge materials and data analysis define who wins and who falls behind. Guenther explains how technology, collaboration and constant development create competitive advantage in Formula 1 and MotoGP.
This keynote connects the technical intensity of racing with business innovation, showing how organisations can stay ahead in fast-moving markets.
Audience takeaways:
How to create a culture that embraces innovation and calculated risk
Turning data into decisive action rather than noise
Balancing creativity with discipline in high-performance teams
Staying competitive through continuous improvement and learning
Keynote by Guenther Steiner:
Straight-talking leadership when the stakes are high
Guenther Steiner is known for his direct, authentic style. In this keynote, he shares unfiltered insights into leadership, ownership and resilience. From difficult personnel decisions to navigating crises in the public eye, he explains how strong culture and personal accountability drive long-term success.
Audiences gain a clear understanding of what it means to lead from the front, especially when the pressure is intense and the spotlight is on.
Audience takeaways:
Building a culture of ownership and trust across the organisation
Handling tough conversations and difficult decisions with clarity
Leading through uncertainty and change without losing direction
Strengthening resilience at both leadership and team level