Haas F1 again finished the 2023 season in last place. There were several reasons, including the concept of cooperation with Ferrari and Dallara chosen years ago, and insufficient financing from the team owner, but Gene Haas decided in his own way by firing the charismatic Günter Steiner and bringing the Japanese Ayo Komatsu to the top . role of team leader with Vitaly Petrov, who worked as an engineer at Lotus.
Steiner got a welcome break after eight intense years in Haas F1 – after funding restrictions from Haas he had to carry everything on his shoulders, find sponsors and solve problems with drivers, which ended up in the Netflix series, but Haas found this popularity – and the tenacity from his subordinate – I did not like it, so in the winter of 2024 he was fired. In the new season the team was led by an excellent engineer, but no manager at all: the director Ayo Komatsu.
Photo gallery: Haas VF-24 presentation
Gen Haas, Team Owner: “I’m looking forward to seeing the VF-24 on the track and during the race. This expectation is shared by our partners and the entire team. We have a great driver duo in Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen and their experience will be invaluable as we plan to develop the car throughout the year.
We use the off-season to refine our processes and ultimately get better. We will know soon how things stand.”
Alex HolmesMoneyGram CEO said: “As we enter our second year of working with the team, we are proud that our name and logo are an integral part of the VF-24’s design. Last year, our partnership helped MoneyGram increase brand awareness and customer engagement, so we’re excited to see what’s in store for this season.”
Ayo Komatsu, team leader: “Everyone knows that the new products we brought to Austin last fall reflected the concept of this year’s car. However, due to the fact that we were faced with physical limitations related to the fact that the structure had to withstand a certain force of side impacts and the locations of components and cooling systems had to be completely specific, we were not able to achieve the intended VF-24 concept. But I knew clearly the direction we would be working in 2024, and everyone could get the first gig in Austin.
I spent a lot of time talking to as many employees as possible about our approach and getting feedback. Of course I don’t try to do everything alone, on the contrary.
We have great people, so my job is to create an environment where they can thrive and be the best they can be. Everyone in the team is very responsive, motivated and positive – it’s great.
Andrea de Zordo is our new technical director. In the past he was a chief designer and he is well versed in the technology. He is good with people, inspiring and a good listener, so I am happy with his appointment. We are currently looking for a lead designer, but I believe we already have candidates on our team that we can promote to this position.
Another key position is the machine development director. We did not previously have this position, but it now exists and is filled by Damien Brayshaw, previously head of the machinery department.
He will oversee the creation of technical innovations, collaborate with the aerodynamics department, and will also be responsible for all other aspects of working with the car – from creating a full-fledged model to working with racing engineers, tire specialists, and so forth. ”
Interview: Ayo Komatsu
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
