Gene Haas is unhappy with the current dynamics of his team

The time has come for revolution at Haas. The team, which was founded in 2016, wants to start afresh in the 2024 season. The American constructor has decided to part ways with their team principal Günther Steiner in favor of Ayao Komatsu.

After a series of complicated seasons, CEO Gene Haas wants to build a new project by relying on new personalities. The team has also announced the technical director Simone Resta.

Try a new direction

The last two seasons have been very challenging for Haas. The North American team finished last in the championship on two occasions. In 2023, under the leadership of Günther Steiner, the team made the gamble of using two experienced drivers, namely Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg. After the failure of Mick Schumacher, Haas wanted to regain rigor and experience to bounce back from a difficult season. However, the development did not live up to expectations. While the performances were not particularly bad at the beginning of 2023, the competition drastically raised its level, unlike Haas. The season ended with a predictable 10th and last position, just like in 2022.

“The decision to separate from Günther is related to a performance issue,” clarified Gene Haas on the Formula 1 website. “We are in our eighth year, out of 160 races – we have never reached the podium. In recent years, we have been tenth or ninth. I’m not sitting here saying that it’s Günther’s fault. It’s true, I really like him. He’s a really nice person, with a great personality. But it seems like it was the right time for a change and to try a different direction. Continuing in this way didn’t seem to be paying off.”

Ayao Komatsu chosen for his experience.

Gene Haas’s choice turned to his former engineering director, Ayao Komatsu. The Japanese engineer has been working in the American company for several years. Moreover, he is valued by the entire team. His experience and unanimous support in the garage have led Haas’s CEO to appoint him as the team’s director.

“We looked from the inside to see who had the most experience,” explained the businessman. “Ayao has been part of the team since day one. He knows the ins and outs. My biggest concern is that when we go to Bahrain, we need to show up with a car ready to race. Maybe by taking a more managerial and technical approach, we’ll see if it has any advantages. Günther had a more human approach with interaction. He was very good in that area. Ayao is very technical. He relies on statistics to analyze what we’re doing wrong, or what we can do better. It’s a different approach. But we really need something new because we weren’t performing well.”

On the market, several former team directors were available. Otmar Szafnauer, formerly at Alpine, or even Mattia Binotto who knows Ferrari perfectly. However, Gene Haas preferred to choose a member of his team. The businessman wanted his team director to know how his company works. When bringing people from the outside, they need time to learn, at least six months to a year, said the owner of Haas F1 Team. It’s better to hire people you know, and even if they don’t fit perfectly, at least you know what you’re going to get. I really like having people I know, who understand the daily operations and the people, rather than relying on a foreigner who will shake things up and create disorder.

Preserving the connection with Ferrari

For the 2023 single-seater, Haas once again benefited from substantial assistance from Ferrari. The Italian group provided a powertrain, a gearbox, suspensions, and other mechanical components allowed by the regulations established by the FIA. However, the season was far less prestigious than the prancing horse brand. With only 10 points on the scoreboard, Haas finished last in the championship, while Ferrari finished 3rd and won the only Grand Prix dropped by Red Bull.

Ferrari has been very kind to us, thanked CEO Gene Haas on the F1 website. They have been with us since day one, building incredible engines. We use a large part of their equipment. It really works well, they truly help us. I am embarrassed that we haven’t been able to do better with it, but in the future, I want to take advantage of good equipment that many other teams don’t have. Things are going to become much more competitive. I believe the competition is going to be very intense, so having a partner like Ferrari is going to be very important. We are very happy to stay with Ferrari. I hope we can help them in terms of reliability.

Gene Haas plans to remain involved.

The future of Haas raises some questions. Arriving in 2016 at the Australian Grand Prix, the American team and its project were led by Günther Steiner. While the Italian engineer is passionate about F1, Gene Haas’s appreciation for this sport raises questions. The CEO does not portray an image of a president enamored with the championship. In the series Drive to Survive, he even expresses a contrary image. In 2024, the team will change direction, Gene Haas affirmed. However, he intends to maintain a strong involvement in Formula 1.

“I didn’t enter Formula 1 to sell the team,” clarified the American businessman. “I did it because I wanted to race. Günther had the same viewpoint. We are not here to cash in, but to race and be competitive. If you look at any team historically, they have had many good and bad years. Surviving is one of the characteristics of improvement. As long as you can survive, you always have an additional year to prove your worth. It’s a big change. Losing Günther will force the team to focus on other aspects. I hope we come out of it better.”

For the next season, the driver duo will not be shaken up. Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen will not be victims of the major reshuffling of the team.