"I think the car we'll take to Bahrain is still at the bottom": Ayao Komatsu's outlook for Haas at the start of the season
Ayao Komatsu is not too optimistic about Haas' performance at the start of the 2024 F1 season. The American team's new head recently replaced Guenther Steiner and will now spearhead Gene Haas' F1 team as they try to move up the grid. However, Komatsu does not have his hopes up coming into 2024.
In an interview with as-web.jp, Komatsu admitted that his team does not have enough time to further improve its car. He said that the car they will bring to the 2024 F1 Bahrain GP will be "at the bottom" of the grid. He went on to say that rather than focusing on top speed, the Kannapolis-based outfit will be aiming to evaluate the car and take a solid direction of development.
"We don't have another month before the pre-season test, but I think the car we will bring to Bahrain is still at the bottom," Komatsu said. "They didn't have much time. So, rather than the top speed of the car, I think it's important to have a solid evaluation of the car in the test, show the direction of development, and move efficiently from there."
After Guenther Steiner's departure, the struggling F1 team could turn a new leaf. Gene Haas has been adamant about focusing more on his F1 team and recruiting new blood to improve it. In 2023, the team finished last in the Constructors' Championship table with only 12 points in its pockets. The team has yet to announce its car launch event.
New Haas team boss on how different he is from Guenther Steiner
Ayao Komatsu made it clear that he is nothing like Guenther Steiner, Haas' ex-team principal. Speaking to Sky Sports, the Japanese praised Steiner for what he has done for the American team ever since it debuted in Formula 1.
“I am never going to try and replicate Guenther Steiner. Guenther is a very unique human being and I had a very, very good working relationship, and outside of work, we got on really well together," Komatsu said.
"Guenther has done a lot for this team. He set the team up to start off with, so I have a huge respect for Guenther and what he has achieved. So I try to improve on what he has left here.”
Guenther Steiner was the team's head since the beginning and helped Gene Haas shape it. Steiner and Komatsu had a strong relationship since the latter was the trackside engineering director before becoming team principal.