Formula 1
Haas avoided being "stupid or arrogant" with lowly F1 2024 prediction
Komatsu had suggested Haas would be at the back early in the F1 season
Ewan Gale Alex Kalinauckas
Published: Aug 4, 2024, 8:13 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas VF-24, Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-24
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has insisted his pre-season prediction that the team would be at the bottom of Formula 1's pecking order was not a deflection, and that any suggestion it could be better would have been "stupid or arrogant".
Komatsu took the helm at the American-owned outfit following the shock departure of Guenther Steiner, who had been team principal since Haas joined the F1 grid in 2016.
The team had struggled with issues across the duration of last term, where despite strong qualifying performances - particularly from Nico Hulkenberg - inherent rear tyre degradation left both drivers hamstrung in races and often plummeting down the order.
With an upgrade taken to the United States Grand Prix setting the team back even further against its competitors and then the managerial change taking place in January, Komatsu declared ahead of the opening race of the year in Bahrain that Haas would occupy the back of the grid.
But it has been quite the opposite across the season with Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen making the most of slow starts for rival teams, helping to secure seventh in the constructors' standings at the summer break - with the German driver taking two consecutive sixth places in Austria and Great Britain.
Denying the comments pre-season was a deliberate deflection, Komatsu explained to Motorsport.com: "Honestly, I knew how much improved over the winter [we were].
Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
"You know how small we are, I know how late we started, I know how much time we wasted by doing the Austin upgrade. So, I had to assume people with at least the same resource or three times [the resource] will do at least as good a job as us because I know people are not stupid, right?
"So, I had to assume that you cannot count on people being 10kg overweight or totally messing up the concept. You cannot count on that, you've got to make your own result."
He added: "It's pretty simple. We are 300 people. The next smallest team there is about three times as much. We started [thinking] like, 'we wasted some time, how are we going to be better, right?' So, if I said, 'loading out of door in Bahrain, we're going to be P8', either I'm stupid or arrogant, one or the other.
"Then luckily for us, some other people messed it up, but I cannot count on that. When you're doing the business, when you're doing anything, you cannot come for other people's mess. You've got to make your own fortune. That's what I'm trying to do."
Read Also:
Formula 1The uncompromising Williams vision that Sainz was sold
Formula 1A history of F1's second-half comebacks - do McLaren and Mercedes have a chance?
Formula 1McLaren extends Stella’s contract as team principal
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Red Bull to replace Wheatley internally in F1 management shakeup
Next article Who are the Formula 1 drivers' managers, and what do they do?
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Ewan Gale
Sergio Perez praises Colton Herta impact - but has no say over 2027 Cadillac F1 team-mate choice
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
Sergio Perez praises Colton Herta impact - but has no say over 2027 Cadillac F1 team-mate choice
Max Verstappen jokes about Daniel Ricciardo's Le Mans ambition: "He's a smart man picking me!"
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
Max Verstappen jokes about Daniel Ricciardo's Le Mans ambition: "He's a smart man picking me!"
George Russell on F1 title loss: 'This year won't break me'
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
George Russell on F1 title loss: 'This year won't break me'
More from
Haas F1 Team
Alpine drivers penalised post-race, Ryo Hirakawa scores on F1 debut at Mexico GP
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
11 h
Alpine drivers penalised post-race, Ryo Hirakawa scores on F1 debut at Mexico GP
Ryo Hirakawa could have "easily" made Q2 in F1 Mexico GP without late traffic
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
Ryo Hirakawa could have "easily" made Q2 in F1 Mexico GP without late traffic
Latest news
Mercedes fined for George Russell skipping F1 Mexico GP media duties
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
19 min
Mercedes fined for George Russell skipping F1 Mexico GP media duties
Lewis Hamilton slams Charles Leclerc for "do or die" attitude after Mexico GP clash
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
1 h
Lewis Hamilton slams Charles Leclerc for "do or die" attitude after Mexico GP clash
Jeff Burton and Dale Jarrett blast Carson Hocevar: "That's not racing"
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Martinsville II
1 h
Jeff Burton and Dale Jarrett blast Carson Hocevar: "That's not racing"
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe