Potty-mouthed F1 team boss and Drive To Survive legend Guenther Steiner has revealed how he learned English – by going to the pub.
The Haas team principal has developed a cult following for his appearances in the hit Netflix documentary series, which has brought new audiences to F1, particularly in the United States.
Steiner is best known for his no-nonsense approach and fruity language, which he often uses towards his drivers and even in conversation with team owner Gene Haas.
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The 57-year-old is from South Tyrol in northern Italy and spoke both German and Italian from an early age. However, as he pursued a career in motorsport, initially as a mechanic for the Mazda rally team, English didn’t come as easily to him.
He enrolled for lessons but gave up after one class and decided a drinking establishment would be the best place to learn English instead.
“When I went to Mazda to work as a mechanic I didn’t speak English because we didn’t have it at school,” he said in an interview in the February edition of GP Racing magazine.
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(Image: Clive Mason/Getty Images)
“But I had to speak with other mechanics. I went to one class and left after one hour, thinking, ‘I’m not going to f****** do that again’, and went straight to the pub, where I learned a lot more by actually speaking to people.
“But I think when you speak two languages growing up, it’s easier for you to learn another language.”
Steiner is currently preparing for the new season with Haas due to be the first F1 team to unveil their 2023 challenger on January 31.
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