In a significant shake-up for the 2024 Formula 1 season, Haas has announced the appointment of Ayao Komatsu as the new Team Principal, replacing Guenther Steiner. Steiner, who served as the face of Haas since their entry into F1 in 2016, has left the team after almost a decade, leaving a notable void.

Ayao Komatsu, a 47-year-old racing engineer born in Japan, is no stranger to Haas, having worked with the team in various senior roles since 2016. Komatsu pursued higher education at Loughborough University in the UK, specializing in automotive engineering, earning a Ph.D. in vehicle dynamics and control.

Komatsu entered Formula 1 in 2003, joining British American Racing (B.A.R.) under the leadership of David Richards as a tyre engineer for Jacques Villeneuve and Jenson Button. His F1 journey continued with Renault/Lotus at Enstone, where he served as a performance engineer for the test team and later transitioned to the race team, working with drivers like Nelson Piquet Jnr., Romain Grosjean, and Vitaly Petrov.

In 2011, Komatsu took on his first race engineering role, overseeing Vitaly Petrov, and later Romain Grosjean in 2012. His close collaboration with Grosjean continued, and when Lotus’ performance declined in 2014, Komatsu was promoted to the role of chief race engineer. With Grosjean joining Haas in 2016, Komatsu decided to follow his friend and became trackside engineering director.

During his time at Haas, Komatsu held leading engineering positions, including director of engineering. He played a prominent role in the team, working alongside Guenther Steiner and contributing to Haas’ efforts in Formula 1. Komatsu’s familiarity with the team and his extensive engineering background make him a logical choice for the internal promotion to Team Principal.

Gene Haas, the team owner, emphasized the importance of engineering in the team’s management and expressed confidence in Komatsu’s ability to enhance the team’s design and engineering capabilities. Haas looks forward to working with Komatsu to maximize the team’s potential and improve its on-track performances.

In response to his appointment, Ayao Komatsu expressed excitement about the opportunity to lead Haas as Team Principal. He highlighted his passion for the team, having been with them since their track debut in 2016. Komatsu aims to lead the program and internal operations effectively, working towards building a structure that delivers improved on-track performances.

Haas, acknowledging recent performance challenges, is optimistic about the future under Komatsu’s leadership. The team believes in Komatsu’s ability to bring positive changes and maximize the potential of their dedicated team across various locations, including Kannapolis, Banbury, and Maranello. The focus remains on achieving competitive results in Formula 1.