Gunther Steiner might be gearing up for a significant comeback in the realm of Formula 1 team management.
After his departure from Haas due to clashes with the owner Gene Haas during the off-season, Steiner has kept a steady presence within the F1 paddock.
He has been engaged as a TV pundit for several broadcasters while also working on a deal to become an ambassador for the forthcoming Miami Grand Prix.
However, according to sources familiar with Steiner, who is 59, as well as ties to Red Bull where he previously held the position of technical operations director, he is now contemplating a new venture in Formula 1.
"Sources are saying Steiner has already found an investor who wants to enter Formula 1," as reported by the specialist Japanese portal as-web.jp.
Steiner's attention is reportedly set not on Alpine, whose chief Bruno Famin has firmly stated that the Renault-owned team is "absolutely not for sale."
On the other hand, Dr. Helmut Marko of Red Bull recently acknowledged that there's considerable interest in purchasing the newly renamed RB team.
"Ultimately it's a shareholder decision," he informed the Osterreich newspaper. "The price is high for a team, but nothing has been decided yet."
Steiner has been quoted by as-web.jp stating he is "not interested in running a team on the same basis as 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," he expressed. "I want to really compete and try to win."
"I'm not going to come back just to run a team if I don't have that opportunity."
According to as-web.jp, "Some believe Red Bull is investing heavily in its second team in order to finish sixth this year, increase the price, and then sell."
The rumoured conditions for a potential sale of the Red Bull team include adopting the new Red Bull-Ford power units from 2026 to 2030, incorporating a Red Bull junior driver, and continuing to utilize Red Bull's wind tunnel facilities.