Motorsport Week
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
Motorsport Week
Home Single Seater Formula 1

Komatsu explains choice to dampen Haas’ 2024 F1 expectations

by Taylor Powling
1 year ago
A A
Komatsu explains choice to dampen Haas’ 2024 F1 expectations

Komatsu has inspired an impressive turnaround at Haas.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Haas boss Ayao Komatsu has explained the decision to dampen the team’s expectations heading into the 2024 Formula 1 season was made to avoid looking “stupid”.

The American squad languished bottom in the Constructors’ Championship for the third time in four seasons last term amid recurring struggles with tyre degradation.

Komatsu, who replaced Guenther Steiner at the helm, claimed that Haas would be on the back foot as it strived to undo a failed late-season update package in Austin.

However, Haas has emerged as a positive surprise with the VF-24 proving to be a competitive midfield car, accumulating 27 points in the first 14 rounds to lie seventh.

RelatedPosts

George Russell was stuck behind Oscar Piastri for the entirety of the US GP

How Oscar Piastri cost George Russell a better result in the F1 US GP

2 hours ago
Franco Colapinto has defended his decision to ignore a team order

Franco Colapinto backtracks on Alpine team order in F1 US GP

16 hours ago

But Komatsu has denied that setting lower predictions was done as a tactic to lower the pressure on Haas, citing that he didn’t envisage its rivals experiencing issues.

Both Alpine and Williams have encountered trouble with overweight cars, while Sauber remains point-less with a package that hasn’t delivered the gains it anticipated.

“Honestly, I knew how much improved over the winter [we were],” Komatsu told Autosport.

“You know how small we are, I know how late we started, I know how much time we wasted by doing the Austin upgrade.

“So, I had to assume people with at least the same resource or three times [the resource] will do at least as good a job as us because I know people are not stupid, right?

“So, I had to assume that you cannot count on people being 10kg overweight or totally messing up the concept. You cannot count on that, you’ve got to make your own result.”

Haas has been competitive in the midfield in 2024.

Komatsu has argued that asserting Haas had the pace to score points at the outset would have opened the side up to receive criticism should it have underdelivered.

“It’s pretty simple. We are 300 people. The next smallest team there is about three times as much,” he expanded.

“We started [thinking] like, ‘we wasted some time, how are we going to be better, right?’

“So, if I said, ‘loading out of door in Bahrain, we’re going to be P8’, either I’m stupid or arrogant, one or the other.

“Then luckily for us, some other people messed it up, but I cannot count on that.

“When you’re doing the business, when you’re doing anything, you cannot come for other people’s mess. You’ve got to make your own fortune. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

Tags: F1HaasKomatsu
Share204Tweet127Share

Related Posts

George Russell was stuck behind Oscar Piastri for the entirety of the US GP
Formula 1

How Oscar Piastri cost George Russell a better result in the F1 US GP

2 hours ago
Franco Colapinto has defended his decision to ignore a team order
Formula 1

Franco Colapinto backtracks on Alpine team order in F1 US GP

16 hours ago
McLaren's advantage has been cut since the summer break
Formula 1

Red Bull insists McLaren has lost relative pace advantage since the F1 summer break

18 hours ago
Load More

Discussion about this post

Upcoming Races

#EventDate
18Singapore GP03-05 October
19United States GP17-19 October
20Mexico City GP24-26 October
21São Paulo GP07-09 November
22Las Vegas GP20-22 November

Click here for the full 2025 F1 calendar

Drivers’  Standings

#DriverPts
Oscar Piastri324
Lando Norris299
Max Verstappen255
George Russell212
Charles Leclerc165
Lewis Hamilton121
Andrea Kimi Antonelli78
Alexander Albon70
Isack Hadjar39
Nico Hulkenberg37

Click here for full Drivers’ Standings

Latest Articles

George Russell was stuck behind Oscar Piastri for the entirety of the US GP
Formula 1

How Oscar Piastri cost George Russell a better result in the F1 US GP

October 23, 2025
Franco Colapinto has defended his decision to ignore a team order
Formula 1

Franco Colapinto backtracks on Alpine team order in F1 US GP

October 22, 2025
McLaren's advantage has been cut since the summer break
Formula 1

Red Bull insists McLaren has lost relative pace advantage since the F1 summer break

October 22, 2025

Follow Motorsport Week

Join our daily motorsport newsletter

* indicates required

Motorsport Week

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd

Other Links

  • About & Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Motorsport Monday

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Formula 1
    • Latest News
    • 2025 F1 Calendar
    • 2025 F1 Championship Standings
  • Formula E
    • Latest News
    • 2025 FE Calendar
    • 2025 FE Championship Standings
  • MotoGP
    • Latest News
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • WRC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
    • 2025 WRC Standings
  • IndyCar
    • Latest News
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WEC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • Live Updates
  • Other
    • IMSA
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • Galleries
  • About/Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd