Haas declare extreme measure that would leave F1 team 'happy'

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has asserted the squad will only be truly happy if it progresses to a position in which it can win races.

The American outfit is entering its 11th F1 campaign this year but will no longer hold the label of the youngest team with Cadillac joining the grid.

Haas is yet to score a top-three result in F1, with its greatest success being an unexpected pole position with Kevin Magnussen in 2021.

Last year, it successfully developed its car during the year after a difficult start and scored a strong batch of points in the final rounds.

When asked if he is happy with the team's growth, Komatsu told media including RacingNews365: “I don't think we will ever be happy until we have a car that is winning races.

“But I'm happy in a way that [2024], we managed to develop the car throughout the season. We finished the season with the fifth-quickest car.

“And then [in 2025] in Melbourne, we had a huge disaster. We are like last by country mile. We were six-tenths off P19.

“To come from that, to be able to fight at the front of the midfield, we proved it again that we can develop the car.”

Although Haas is far from a position to win races, Komatsu insisted he is proud of the team spirit as it still operates with the fewest staff members.

“In that sense, I'm extremely happy how the people are putting it together, supporting each other, putting this performance on the car,” he said.

“Especially considering we are still by far the smallest team. Not even half, more like a third.

“My job now is really to create a better environment for those people, so that they can do a better job, which I'm sure they can.”