There was a slight discrepancy between the look and the phrases. “I’m very, very completely happy,” Ayao Komatsu assured the media on the night after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Although he appeared moderately drained and considerably disillusioned as an alternative, as he leaned again in his chair together with his arms crossed over his chest.
Led by Komatsu, the crew overachieved in 2024. After ending tenth the yr earlier than, even the objective Gene Haas had set for the crew to complete eighth appeared unrealistic to many, together with Komatsu himself. However from his “we count on to be final” remark in the beginning of the yr in Bahrain, Haas made all of it the way in which to a slender loss to Alpine within the battle for sixth on the finish.
Even at seventh, Haas can boast of being the crew with the most important year-on-year enchancment in championship place, alongside McLaren. But letting Alpine snatch sixth place on the finish was nonetheless a little bit of a bitter capsule to swallow.
“I feel it is very, superb we’re disillusioned to not get P6,” Komatsu stated when the inevitable query adopted. “Originally of the season, our official goal was P8. Once more, stating the plain, to be P8 you want to beat two groups. You already know, I actually was considering [at the start of the year], who can we beat? What two groups are we going to beat, coming from the catastrophe of final yr?
“However then, I feel we simply confirmed this yr, regardless that we’re the smallest crew by far, if we work as a crew collectively, we are able to do that, which is one thing to be actually pleased with, for everyone within the crew.
“You have to have a look at it in a way that if any individual advised us that we’ll end P7 this yr, we would have all signed it off in the beginning of the yr. However after all, the bar has raised.”
It is not Haas’ finest constructors’ place on paper both. In 2018, it climbed as excessive as P5 within the total standings, however that was additionally helped by Pressure India going into administration mid-season and its successor Racing Level not with the ability to inherit the factors all through the method. Haas’ actual place that yr was one down. Seventh place in 2024, nevertheless, seems to be extra spectacular – not solely as a result of the state of F1 as an entire is now higher and fewer groups battle, but additionally due to the way in which that P7 was achieved.
Haas finally misplaced out to Alpine within the battle for sixth, however impressively continued to attain factors late within the yr when its kind often dips
Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Pictures
For the primary time in its historical past, Haas has managed not solely to remain aggressive all year long, however to outpace its rivals in growth – which is all of the extra spectacular given the way in which the crew is about up. Delivering upgrades remains to be a much bigger problem for Haas than for many different groups: because the crew depends totally on suppliers to provide elements, the journey from the design workplace to the observe for these elements is longer – and dearer, too.
But it surely was within the last collection of races that Haas regarded the strongest all yr. Essentially the most outstanding stat about Haas’ season is that the crew scored factors in eight of the final 9 rounds of the championship, which is kind of an accomplishment for a crew that has by no means earlier than scored most of its factors within the second half of the yr.
“If you happen to have a look at the variety of factors we scored in every quarter of the season: final quarter we scored essentially the most factors,” Komatsu doubled down. “Then the truth that we are able to put upgrades on the automotive, could make the automotive go quicker…
It will be unsuitable to counsel that the crew’s season would have been drastically completely different had Steiner’s contract been renewed. But it surely was beneath Komatsu’s watch that the automotive received faster and faster with each single improve
“On this Abu Dhabi qualifying, to have that hole to pole that was three-tenths, no? That was unbelievable. So it is actually good that we proved that we are able to enhance the automotive, develop the automotive within the appropriate manner if we work collectively as a crew, and talk.”
It is most likely this – the tempo of growth that Haas was capable of preserve in 2024 – that Komatsu can actually depend amongst his achievements. The truth that the VF-24 was free of the tyre administration flaws of its predecessor was undoubtedly one of many cornerstones of Haas’ improved efficiency final yr.
Nevertheless, this automotive was nonetheless developed beneath the supervision of Simone Resta and with Steiner as crew principal. And it might be unsuitable to counsel that the crew’s season would have been drastically completely different had Steiner’s contract been renewed. But it surely was beneath Komatsu’s watch that the automotive received faster and faster with each single improve.
Maybe the Japanese supervisor, together with his engineering background, was merely higher outfitted to know and handle the principle shortcomings in Haas’ comparatively difficult construction, with a number of bases in Italy and the UK. Improved communication between these websites – cited by Haas drivers and new technical director Andrea De Zordo as considered one of Komatsu’s major achievements – would not sound significantly thrilling, but it surely most likely does make a noticeable distinction.
Preliminary growth of the 2024 automotive was overseen on Steiner’s watch, however Komatsu’s appointment helped the crew to proceed progressing throughout the yr
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures
In any case, there weren’t too many different modifications. After parting methods with Steiner and Resta, Haas did not actually make any high-profile hires. The folks stayed the identical, so it will need to have been one thing about the way in which they labored collectively that Komatsu was capable of unlock.
“Actually, there is no magic,” he stated when requested about what modifications he has dropped at the crew. “I am sorry for [telling] a boring story, but it surely’s nothing thrilling. It is [about] doing the fundamentals very, very, very nicely, and work as a crew. [And] that is what can occur.”
A very powerful victory for Komatsu was the restoration of belief between Gene Haas and his personal crew, which had clearly been broken by the tip of 2023. “Gene has the cash,” was a phrase Komatsu repeated a number of occasions throughout his media classes, and it was as much as him to show to his boss that the investments had been paying off.
By negotiating higher offers with suppliers and proving that each improve – which in F1 at all times entails a seven-figure outlay – does what it is alleged to, he received Gene to open his chequebook repeatedly all year long. This renewed belief, mixed with a seventh place within the constructors’ championship, has introduced Haas a lot nearer to reaching the price range cap in 2025. One thing that has additionally by no means occurred earlier than.
It is already been confirmed that the crew may even be getting a brand new motorhome subsequent yr to switch the one which’s been in use since 2016. That does not sound significantly thrilling both, but it surely is not a small funding – definitely worth the worth of a giant efficiency improve. And it is little issues like this that assist groups develop and develop since working circumstances is usually a deciding issue for potential recruits.
Haas, with its comparatively modest base at Banbury, is competing with the likes of Aston Martin and its swanky new manufacturing unit at Silverstone. For a crew that should develop, addressing these areas is crucial. Final yr Haas went from 230 to round 250 staff – and Komatsu is adamant that the method should proceed.
“We are attempting to develop,” he defined. “Discovering good folks is just not simple. However there is no doubt that we’ve to develop. We [are] beneath the important mass, should you like.
Haas stays smaller than rival squads regardless of efforts to increase
Picture by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Pictures
“We’re nearly saturated on a regular basis – when one thing occurs, we’re fully overflowing. So it is not sustainable. I wish to make this crew sustainable. In the mean time I really feel we have got very, little or no margin. So sure, we’re recruiting and should you go to our web site you may see what number of positions we’re recruiting for. Be happy to use…
“Some positions we really discover good folks. Some positions it is actually laborious. So, , issues like our personal observe outcomes, the message we’re placing on the market that we’re a critical race crew – that helps.
“However once more, the fascinating factor is that we get folks coming in from a lot greater groups like Mercedes and Crimson Bull. It depends upon what these people are searching for. We’re a a lot smaller crew, so it is laborious work. It’s a must to do much more. However some issues are higher, proper?
Komatsu is nearly the anti-Steiner in some ways. However a yr on the helm has been sufficient for him to show that he is most likely the very best chief the crew wants at this second in its historical past
“If you happen to’re somebody who simply needs to be given ‘that is your job, it’s important to do it in addition to you may, and we’re a race-winning crew’ – if that is what they need, then they’re going to go for the large crew. But when they wish to have, I do not know, a much bigger overview, to be extra multi-tasking… It depends upon the character. So once more, we’ve to draw the correct character that matches into the organisation.”
It is laborious to argue that the crew would not be the place it’s as we speak with out Steiner. It was his enterprise sense and administration expertise that allowed Haas not solely to enter F1, however to outlive the COVID years – a activity that Komatsu, together with his very completely different ability set, might not have been capable of accomplish. It was Steiner who pulled off the offers with Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin to maintain the crew on the grid in 2021, and it is also him who introduced MoneyGram on board in a while.
Komatsu is nearly the anti-Steiner in some ways. He most likely will not get as a lot display time in season seven of Drive to Survive, both. However a yr on the helm has been sufficient for him to show that he is most likely the very best chief the crew wants at this second in its historical past.
He might have to proceed to develop in some areas, however whereas he most likely would not have been capable of safe a associate like MoneyGram, he actually deserves credit score for forging a partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing – which, together with monetary advantages, has the potential to deal with a few of Haas’ inherent structural weaknesses. Even when this course of will certainly require much more time.
Komatsu is practical to recognise that Toyota partnership will take time to reap fruit
Picture by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Pictures
“In the mean time, we’re within the very early phases of really organising the undertaking,” Komatsu stated in Abu Dhabi about Toyota. “So it’s really a dip as a result of we haven’t elevated our variety of folks but, however we’ve to arrange the undertaking, proper? So individuals are working extra.
“It’s nowhere close to the stage the place we are able to really feel any profit. In actual fact, we’re much more stretched at this minute. That’s a dip stage, which is regular. So we simply have to get out of that dip stage and onto the stage the place we are able to stabilise it, however that’s going to take a number of months. To really feel the impact on the observe, it’s going to take no less than a yr.”
All this does not imply that 2025 might be a hit. Haas actually benefited from its rivals’ struggles final yr, whether or not it was Williams’ battle with Excel spreadsheets or Sauber’s administration woes. Even repeating P7 might be a giant problem.
Komatsu may even be counting on a wholly new driver line-up – considered one of his personal selecting this time. Final yr’s success would not have been potential with out Nico Hulkenberg, who appears to be having fun with his “third youth”. If not for a few of the German’s standout performances, Haas might simply have completed eighth.
It was Steiner, once more, who introduced the Hulk into the crew after a three-year break from F1. But it surely’s Komatsu who received the very best out of him final yr, as he has tried to do with each different member of nonetheless by far the smallest crew on the F1 grid.
“Actually, there’s nothing higher than seeing these folks completely happy,” he stated of his private spotlight. “I am simply disillusioned as a result of the automotive [was] so fast… I simply really feel like I let down our aero guys, the designers, the fellows who labored on manufacturing and every part to get this automotive on the observe – I simply felt this automotive deserved P6 and I could not ship.
“I really feel like I let these folks down. That is the half that is disappointing. However on the similar time, you have a look at these guys, they’re completely happy. After all they’re disillusioned, however they’re considering, nicely, we have nonetheless had an incredible season, which is true. So yeah, it is a bit blended [feeling], however I feel total we needs to be pleased with ourselves.”
And what about Gene?
“Effectively, Gene… proper after the race he despatched me a message. I am not bullshitting you, right away he stated, ‘Congratulations on a really profitable yr for the crew.’ Simply that. So I known as him to thank him. He is the primary particular person to be disillusioned that he did not get P6, however after I known as him, the very first thing he stated was – no ‘disappointment’, nothing – simply ‘congratulations’. ‘Actually, wonderful job’. ‘So a lot better than final yr’. ‘We received P7, actually completely happy’. And that is good.”
With an all-new line-up of Bearman and Ocon, can Haas construct on its spectacular 2024?
Picture by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Pictures
On this article
Oleg Karpov
Method 1
Haas F1 Crew
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