Haas Formula 1 boss Ayao Komatsu has confirmed that the final decision on which drivers will represent the squad in 2025 will lie with the team’s owner, Gene Haas.
The announcement that the incumbent Nico Hulkenberg will move to Sauber next season as it prepares to morph into Audi has opened up a guaranteed seat at Haas.
Ferrari prospect Oliver Bearman made two practice outings with Haas last term and is scheduled to conduct six FP1 sessions with the American outfit this campaign.
The Briton, 18, bolstered his prospects of landing a full-time drive next season when he stood in for the sidelined Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia and finished in seventh.
Hulkenberg’s impending departure and the likelihood that a rookie Bearman will take his place have enhanced Kevin Magnussen’s chances of securing a renewed deal.
Asked how his partnership with Haas worked, Komatsu, who replaced Guenther Steiner at the helm this season, said: “I put the fact or opinion to him, but he’s the owner.
“He listens, but the final say is Gene. But it’s not like a dictatorship. We have a good dialogue, understanding each other, but at the end of the day it’s Gene’s team, he’s the owner.”
Komatsu denied that Haas imposes financial restrictions on which drivers he can target and stressed that performance was the essential criterion over saving costs.
Pressed on whether he was allocated a fixed amount in the driver market from Haas, Komatsu responded: “It’s always case-by-case.
“He’s never said to me, ‘This is the money, I’m not spending any more’, nothing like that.
“[It’s] always putting pros and cons: if we sign this driver, these are the pros, these are the cons, this could be the implication for the championship.
“One championship position in terms of prize money is huge,” he expanded. “You’ve got to take all those things into consideration.
“‘This guy costs X amount, or much more, but this guy is gonna make a difference in championship position.
“It’s difficult to say, of course, but you can look at it with let’s say previous year’s average, circumstantial evidence, etc.
“But the main thing is that we have a very good conversation frequently. That’s the key.”
