A motorsport heavyweight has thrown up his hat: Guenther Steiner, famous for his no-nonsense Formula 1 leadership, has confessed to underestimating the tremendous athletic demands of MotoGP. His candid admission has stunned both paddocks – and shattered long-held stereotypes about two-wheel racing.
Steiner, the former Haas F1 team boss and now CEO of Tech3 KTM in MotoGP, is taking part in his first full season with the motorcycle elite. After years of attracting attention in F1 – spurred by his starring role in Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive’ – the 61-year-old Italian has found himself reevaluating everything he knew about racing, preparation and physical endurance. His Tech3 team currently sits eighth in the World Championship standings with 79 points, as the team faces crucial roster decisions with expiring contracts and rider speculation.
Why does it matter? The divide between Formula 1 and MotoGP has always been clear – different machines, different risks, different cultures. But rarely has an F1 insider of Steiner’s stature admitted such a fundamental miscalculation. His revelation underlines how underestimated MotoGP’s physical and mental demands are outside the paddock. In a sport where fractions of a second mean everything, Steiner’s words may finally bridge the respect gap between four wheels and two wheels.
Steiner’s journey from F1 powerbroker to MotoGP team principal has been nothing short of dramatic. After leaving Haas in 2023, he joined a consortium that acquired the Red Bull KTM Tech 3 team, and entered a world where the role of the rider is paramount. The Italian admits that he was blinded by the athleticism and tireless training of the MotoGP riders. Unlike F1 drivers, whose physical preparation is often simulator-based and focused on mental acuity, MotoGP competitors are constantly on the bike, creating a real risk of injury even in training.
“How different the riders are here, or how different a profession it is than being a car racer—it surprised me,” Steiner admitted in a recent interview. “Perhaps, out of ignorance, I underestimated how much training people actually do on the bike and what they do. But when you think about it, it’s very clear: here, the rider has a much greater impact on the result than in car racing. One of my ‘stupid’ questions was: ‘What do you do between races to prepare?’ And he says to me: ‘I ride a motorcycle.’ I say: ‘What do you mean, you ride a motorcycle?’ On the track- yes! He’s always doing Motocross for balance and all that. For example, in Formula 1, you can’t do that. It’s nothing like that.”
He did not stop here. Steiner drew a clear line between the safety net of F1 and the danger of MotoGP preparation: “That’s where the simulator comes in. That’s the huge difference – the extent to which MotoGP riders are actually physically involved. (In F1), a simulator is fine and appropriate. I mean, it’s demanding, but mainly it’s mentally demanding, not physically. If you hit the wall in a Formula 1 simulator, you just Restart and keep driving. If you crash in Motocross, an ambulance comes to pick you up. That’s the biggest surprise.
For Tech3, the season is far from decided. The team’s 2027 lineup remains a live question, with veterans like Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini nearing the end of their current contracts. Rumors have been swirling about potential signings including Luca Marini, Brad Binder and rising star Senna Agius. Steiner, now wise to the demands of his new sport, faces a difficult decision-making moment that could define the future of Tech3 and his own legacy in MotoGP.
Steiner’s revelation had a twofold result. First, it forces the wider motorsport world to rethink the hierarchies of athleticism and risk. Second, it puts front and center the tireless dedication of the MotoGP riders – no longer just adventurers, but elite athletes who prepare for battle every day. As the silly season heats up and team rosters hang in the balance, one thing is for sure: Guenther Steiner’s awakening is a wake-up call to anyone on four wheels who ever doubted the giants on two wheels.
Don’t miss a second with the new app where you can watch live timing of MotoGP, Formula 1, NASCAR, IndyCar and much more: just press – Here (Free for all users)
