It came as a surprise when Haas announced that Gunther Steiner would no longer be their team boss.
Steiner, known for his humor on the popular show Drive to Survive, had led the team for over 8 years. Ayao Komatsu was appointed as his replacement, having previously served as a trackside engineer director.
Haas has consistently struggled at the bottom of the points table, with their cars facing issues such as poor tyre degradation.
In 2021, Steiner recruited Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher, hoping they would lead the team to success like other F1 rookies.
However, Mazepin lacked the necessary skills and Schumacher was too accident-prone for a team like Haas. Steiner made changes in 2022 by bringing back Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg in 2023, but the team still faced performance issues.
Team owner Gene Haas decided not to renew Steiner’s contract and appointed Kamatsu instead. Two races into the season, Kamatsu has shown his capabilities.
In the Bahrain Grand Prix and Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, the car has shown significant improvement and overall race pace, even going on to secure a point finish.
Nico Hulkenberg praises Komatsu.
In an interview Nico Hulkenberg said, “Yeah, obviously he didn’t have to settle or get to know the team, but I think he settled in well into his new position. He got thrown in the cold water, definitely.
”Obviously, a lot of new responsibilities and things he has to do now that are new to him. But so far, I think he’s doing a very good job taking it all in, looking for the fastest way to performance.”
Kevin Magnussen too didn’t shy away from praising Kamatsu. He said, “And I think the atmosphere in the team is very healthy at the moment. I think the engineers are super motivated.”
“I feel it in the garage too. The boys there, it’s kind of like a fresh outlook, a fresh start in a way.
“And I think that’s given everyone a bit of hope, I guess, and a bit of a boost. A feeling like there’s a new opportunity.
Know More about Komatsu:- https://www.haasf1team.com/season/team/ayao-komatsu
Gunther Steiner to return? :- https://f1geek.com/gunther-steiner-reveals-sacked/