– Strong start, strong decline: This is how the Haas team’s Formula 1 season so far can be summarized briefly and concisely. The American racing team was the big surprise in the first races and at times even ranked fifth in the drivers’ standings with Oliver Bearman, but the crash was just as drastic.
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After the second race of the season, Bearman was only able to score a single point, and Esteban Ocon managed just three points in total, so team principal Ayao Komatsu would draw a mixed conclusion. “The start of the season was of course quite impressive. Honestly, I did not expect that,” he first highlights the positive.
He praises: “Regarding teamwork, our reliability, and getting the best out of the car – as well as the actual potential of the car – that was much more than I expected, considering that we are the smallest team and this is the biggest regulation change we have ever experienced.”
Staff not to blame for performance drop
But then comes the but: “But of course, after that, especially after the April break, we fell behind in development because the competition brought so much performance to their cars.”
Although Haas also improved its car, it was not enough to keep up with the competition. “That is not the fault of our people,” Komatsu interjects. “Honestly, they are doing an excellent job. Because if you just look at the size of our team and the limitations we have, you cannot ask for more.”
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“They are very proactive, their team spirit is extremely good, they work very collegially together and do everything possible.” In addition, everyone was transparent about mistakes and worked together on a solution to improve. “So I cannot ask for more,” says the team principal.
“It is more a question for me of how I can try to provide them with a better environment. Exactly what I said last year: Where we stand now is not a reflection of the abilities of our people, but of the environment they find – and that is my responsibility.”
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With 21 points, Haas is currently seventh in the constructors’ standings. There is no chance to move forward, as Alpine has already collected 61 points, and looking backward, they must be careful not to be overtaken by Audi. Although Audi has only scored twelve points, ten of those came in the last three races.
Do resources play the biggest role in the deficit?
What also became obvious under the new Formula 1 regulations is that the top teams still have a significant lead over the rest of the field. Many had hoped that the new rules would offer a chance for a new balance of power, but instead, the big teams are even further ahead than before.
Do the significantly larger resources of the top teams come into play even more because of the regulations? “No, I don’t think it’s just a resource gap,” Komatsu says. “It’s too simplistic to say it like that.”
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As an example, the Japanese names the Racing Bulls, who in his opinion did not start the season particularly strong but have become regular point scorers thanks to strong development. “Where they stand now is very, very impressive,” he praises.
On the other hand, Audi, a well-known factory manufacturer, still has room for improvement. “Yes, they have resources, but they are not at the level of the top teams,” he says.
“That Williams is having problems this year compared to last year is, in my opinion, not due to resources. So it’s not that simple,” says Komatsu. “But to be successful in Formula 1, you simply have to do everything right. You need the right amount of resources and financial support, but the processes must be correct and the implementation must be perfect.”
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