Guenther Steiner is one of the most recognisable names in modern Formula 1. For years, he was the outspoken boss of the Haas F1 team and became a fan favourite thanks to his straight-talking style on Netflix’s Drive to Survive. When he left Haas at the end of 2023, many wondered what he would do next. Now the answer is clear: Steiner is moving into MotoGP.

At the Catalan Grand Prix in Barcelona, it was announced that Steiner and a group of investors will buy Tech3, KTM’s satellite MotoGP team. The deal, worth just under €20 million, will make Steiner the CEO in 2026, while his business partner Richard Coleman will take over as team principal. It marks Steiner’s first major role in motorsport since leaving Formula 1.

The takeover is supported by IKON Capital, an investment company led by Damien O’Donohoe and Markus Gloel. The agreement also secures Tech3’s place on the MotoGP grid beyond 2027, when the series will introduce new 850cc engine regulations.

With Liberty Media, the company that owns Formula 1,  now also running MotoGP, the sport is expected to grow in both value and popularity. For Steiner and his investors, the timing could not be better.

How the Idea Began

The idea of joining MotoGP first came to Steiner in April 2024, when he visited the US Grand Prix in Austin. For the first time in years, he was not tied to Formula 1 and had space to explore new opportunities.

“I always loved MotoGP,” Steiner explained to Autosport. “But I never had time to enjoy it because I was working. Once I went to Austin, I thought: this could be an interesting project.”

By the summer of 2024, Steiner was already speaking with Hervé Poncharal, the long-time owner of Tech3. Over the following year, the talks grew more serious, and by September 2025 the deal was signed, with full approval from MotoGP bosses.

For Poncharal, who founded Tech3 in 1990 and has run the team in MotoGP since 2001, choosing the right successor was hugely important. He admitted that several groups had shown interest, but Steiner convinced him he was the right choice.

“At some stage, you need to pass the baton,” Poncharal said at the Barcelona press conference. “At first, I was a bit scared of Guenther — he looks like someone who could punch you! But then I found someone who listens, cares, and respects what we’ve built. That’s why I chose him.”

Poncharal will remain in charge until the end of the 2025 season before moving into a consultant role to support the new management team.

One of Steiner’s first promises was not to change too much. Tech3 will stay in France, keep its KTM partnership, and continue with its existing staff. The team has also secured its riders, Maverick Viñales and Enea Bastianini, for the future.

“The team will stay where it is,” Steiner told reporters. “Why would I change something that works? First I want to learn from Hervé. Then we’ll see if anything needs to be done differently.”

Before agreeing to the takeover, MotoGP bosses Carmelo and Carlos Ezpeleta gave Steiner a very clear message: don’t mess it up.

“They told me — in my words — ‘don’t f**k it up,’” Steiner said with a smile during the Barcelona press conference. “That’s my job now: to keep building on what is already there and make MotoGP even bigger.”