Ayao Komatsu admits Haas have ‘no chance’ without big change after Guenther Steiner F1 exit

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New Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu admits the American Formula 1 team will have ‘no chance’ at succeeding without a big change following Guenther Steiner’s release.

Team owner Gene Haas elected to let Steiner leave the ship he has captained since entering F1 in 2016. The Italian engineer was out of contract after the 2023 season but oversaw their second-worst season ever. Haas finished last in the constructors’ standings with 12 points.

Only in 2021 when Haas did not score any points with Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin in their cars had they previously finished a season bottom of the championship. But Steiner could not address Haas’ problems last year as their upgrades failed to resolve crucial issues.

Guenther Steiner left Haas after the team’s second-worst season in Formula 1 to date

Haas would occasionally qualify well in 2023, as Nico Hulkenberg took second place at the Canadian GP and Kevin Magnussen started the Miami GP from fourth. But the VF-23 ruined its tyres. So, Hulkenberg and Magnussen only ended one and three Grand Prix in the points.

Such was the disappointment of the major upgrades that Haas took to the United States GP in October that Magnussen even reverted to an older specification at the final rounds. Haas split their set-ups at the tail end of the season to run direct comparisons between their cars.

Ayao Komatsu fears Haas have ‘no chance’ without removing the team’s ‘constraints’

Now, Komatsu has moved from his role as Haas’ director of engineering to replace Steiner as their team principal. But the Japanese engineer believes they need more changes across the board which remove the constraints preventing Haas’ staff from realising their full potential.

“Some of the organisation structure changed,” Komatsu detailed, via quotes by Forbes. “We have good people and we’re providing them with an environment where they can flourish.

“We have to get that message clear to everyone so they are motivated to contribute. If there are any constraints, it’s my job to remove that. We’re such a small team. So, if we don’t work as one, we have no chance.”

Komatsu also recently suggested that internal disagreements held Haas back last year. He is keen for the American-owned outfit to pull in one, clear direction to revert their plight. Haas were the eighth-best team in 2022 as Magnussen and Schumacher combined for 37 points.