Haas expects to remain towards the back of the Formula 1 grid “out of the gates”, but Team Principal Ayao Komatsu is “excited” about improving throughout 2024.
After a steady start to F1’s ground effect regulations that saw the team climb to eighth in the Constructors’ standings, Haas slipped back to the foot of the table in 2023.
The American outfit was hampered by dire tyre management throughout the season and an initial inwash car concept that had reached a development ceiling.
Komatsu, who has replaced Guenther Steiner at the helm, is braced for Haas to begin the upcoming campaign as the slowest team in the field with its VF-24 charger.
But he believes that starting from the back of the grid in Bahrain is a positive, and one shared by managers in both the team’s United Kingdom and Italian bases.
“They’re excited because it’s an opportunity to improve and there are areas of improvement everywhere,” he said.
“The focus is to have a good test program for Bahrain so that we come away from the test having quality data for the team to analyze and understand which direction to develop the car.
“Drivers will play a stronger role too. Last year, in terms of subjective feedback from drivers, their understanding of what the weakness of the car was clear, however, we weren’t then able to reflect that in our car development program.
“With the changes we made in the team, we aim to address this issue with our drivers more in the loop of development paths so that nothing gets lost.”
Given his January appointment and the structural changes Komatsu has made since then – which include promoting Andrea De Zordo to Technical Director and promoting former Head of Vehicle Performance Group Damien Brayshaw to the newly created role of Performance Director – one could be forgiven for thinking the true impact of these changes will be felt in 2025.
However, Komatsu remains convinced the organisation now is in a better place to commit to a clear upgrade plan that will benefit the VF-24.
“One of the things that we changed was how we shape the organizational structure so that as a team we work as one to understand the car and how to improve it,” he said.
“I’d like to think the very first thing we’ll see from the impact of this change will be the upgrade on the car.
“If you look at the organizational structure previously, there isn’t a clear path to close the loop on that side.
“Everything that’s found trackside, there’s now a closed loop going into the aero, wind tunnel and CFD departments.
“Now, at least even if there’s a disagreement, everyone is clear about why we’re developing the car in a certain way.”
Komatsu claims the lack of this structure in year’s gone by is why upgrades have failed to lift the team’s performance and led to sliding down the pecking order as races tick by.
“We’re now already working in that way and there’s much better transparency, openness, and communication,” he clarified.
“Therefore, I believe we have a much better chance of upgrading the car properly this year.”
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