Formula 1
Haas: Ferrari customer model not reason for F1 struggles
Haas boss Ayao Komatsu says the nature of his team’s customer relationship with Ferrari is not the reason it has underperformed in Formula 1 in recent years.
Jonathan Noble
Published: Feb 2, 2024, 12:33 PM
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Komatsu took over from Guenther Steiner at the start of this year, after team owner Gene Haas felt it was time for the squad to embark on a change of direction to move itself off the bottom of the constructors’ championship.
It is understood that one of the key disagreement points between Haas and Steiner was over how much investment the team needed to move forward.
While Steiner felt that it required extra cash if it was to take on competitors, Haas believed that a better route to success was making more of what it already has.
Komatsu is currently undertaking a review of the entire Haas operation to work out what changes are needed to help it improve.
And while the outfit is unique in F1 for the nature of its customer relationship with Ferrari, where it takes as many car components as it can, Komatsu does not feel that this is an element in why it is not achieving all it wants.
“For me, it's not more to do with working with Ferrari, it's more internally we need to look at it first and how effective we do certain operations,” he said.
Photo by: Motorsport Images
Ayao Komatsu, Haas F1 Team, in the Team Principals' Press Conference
“I don't see the relationship with Ferrari being the main, let's say, constraint at this minute. Okay, once we get to a certain stage, then of course we will look at what's holding us up. And then maybe that relationship comes into it. But currently for me, that's not my main focus.
“The relationship with Ferrari is very good. And then the PU, they supply to us, we buy from them, it's very competitive.”
Komatsu said that it was important for him to quickly understand what are realistic ambitions for Haas in the short, medium and long terms – as all three timelines needed careful consideration.
“You have got short-term vision, medium-term vision and long-term vision, and you have got to have all those,” he said, “But at the same time, in the short term, there are plenty of things we can do better.
“I'd like to see, once we do that, how far we can get to. Then there will be a parallel discussion going: 'Okay, in order to get to the next stage, what areas do we need to improve?'
“Is it investment, etc? But before we get to that stage, there are plenty of things to do. I haven't seen the ceiling yet with what we have currently got. At some stage that will become a concern, but not right at this minute.”
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