The 2026 Belgian Grand Prix noticed Haas report its fourth consecutive race with out scoring a single Components 1 level, following a begin to the season that had proven some promise. Nonetheless, it has been clear for a number of races now that the American group has been outdeveloped by most of its rivals, beginning with Racing Bulls and Audi, which at the moment are battling it out with Alpine for factors.
As such, hopes of a powerful displaying weren’t notably excessive forward of the Spa race, particularly for Esteban Ocon, who has been tormented by efficiency points together with his VF-26. However, the truth that the 2 drivers made contact on the primary lap – which resulted within the Frenchman operating off the observe and each struggling punctures – didn’t assist issues.
Traditionally, incidents involving Haas drivers are nothing new, however for group boss Ayao Komatsu, it’s important to attract a transparent line within the sand immediately – regardless of the actual circumstances of final week’s incident.
“We simply have to ensure it does not occur once more”, he instructed the media, together with Motorsport.com, on Thursday in Budapest. “As all the time, even on a Sunday after the race, I simply wished to listen to factors of view from either side, after which I put my factors of view, after which we spoke about it, after which days after as effectively, so it is all superb.”
When requested for his personal view, the Japanese group principal sidestepped the query: “I do not assume I have to share that right here. My curiosity is in fact, regardless of the cause, it simply can not occur once more. Full cease. So, we simply bought to have a transparent rule of engagement.”
“It was not even an actual struggle”
Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Group, Carlos Sainz, Williams, Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing
Picture by: Steven Tee / LAT Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
As for Ocon, whose future at Haas seems to be considerably unsure given his disappointing outcomes for the reason that begin of the season, the incident was down extra to an unlucky mixture of circumstances than to a real battle for place that went mistaken.
“For positive, it was not excellent”, he defined to the press. “It isn’t one thing that we need to occur as a result of we’re already struggling to be precisely on tempo to be within the level scoring zone.
“We had a dialogue with Ayao, Ollie and myself immediately after the race. A really easy dialog. I am positive we’ll come out stronger out of that as effectively. Ayao stated what he wished to say to us. It should not occur for positive. It isn’t like we’re preventing for the World Championship.
“It was unlucky actually, he went on to clarify. It was not even an actual struggle to be sincere. Ollie had his points together with his gear out of the nook. We had been three vast as a result of we had been attempting to keep away from him. He was a gradual shifting object. I used to be on the within, Nico [Hulkenberg] was right here.
“Ollie was barely within the again truly. I brake early to let Nico go. I used to be on the within there. Final second I noticed Ollie coming there and we collided. It is fairly unlucky actually. In fact we do not need to waste time with that. Hopefully it is not going to occur once more.”
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