New Haas F1 boss:’I’m not trying to be Guenther Steiner’
The new president of the Haas F1 team, Ayao Komatsu, took a unique approach when taking over the leadership, stating that he did not intend to copy his predecessor Guenther Steiner, but used equally harsh language.
Last week, Haas announced that Steiner’s contract would not be renewed for 2024, giving former engineering director Komatsu the top job.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Komatsu said it had refrained from disclosing details about its planned changes because it had not yet had the opportunity to discuss these plans with leaders of the team’s design office in Maranello, Italy.
The 47-year-old Japanese engineer has a lower public profile than Steiner, who is often known for his direct speaking style and often profane remarks in the Netflix documentary ‘Drive To Survive’. Komatsu explained that team owner Gene Haas chose him because he thought he would bring a different skill set to the role of team principal.
“Of course, I’m not trying to be Guenther Steiner,” Komatsu told reporters. “He’s a very different person. Frankly, we got along very, very well. We respected each other and our positions and duties at work and outside of work. We often went out to dinner on race weekends, though not to talk business, because we got along well.”
“But I’m not trying to be a replica of Guenther Steiner here. He’s a very different character, you know, and he has very different strengths and weaknesses than me. I’m not trying to be someone else, and Gene knows that. If Gene is one part of Guenther Steiner, If he wanted to appoint someone, he would appoint someone like that.”
When asked if he speaks as much profanity as Steiner, Komatsu joked: “It’s not something I’m proud to say, but my language isn’t great! I swear a lot, but I still try not to do that.”
Additionally, his primary responsibility is to increase the competitiveness of the team, Komatsu stated. He emphasized that Haas is focused on improving its performance on the track and will not make a conscious effort to attract media attention. This approach contrasts with Steiner’s more extroverted public image.
Separate interviews with Steiner and Gene Haas last week showed their departures stemmed from a difference of opinion over the team’s future. While Steiner called for further investment in the team and its facilities, Haas believed more could be achieved with the existing structure.
Komatsu, who has been with the team since its first season in 2016, brings a new dynamism to a team where he has expressed confidence that much more can be achieved using the team’s existing resources.
