Red Flags and White Lies: Haas’s Rise from Underdog to Midfield Contender Under Ayao Komatsu

Haas F1 Team, the first American-owned Formula 1 outfit in decades, has experienced a turbulent journey since its debut in 2016, marked by sharp highs, painful lows, and constant reinvention. Now, the team finds itself in a very different position. After finishing P7 in the Constructors’ Championship in 2024 and P8 in 2025, Haas has emerged as a genuine midfield contender, setting a strong competitive foundation as it continues to roll out crucial upgrades.

Recent seasons have brought major structural changes. In 2024, Ayao Komatsu replaced Guenther Steiner as Team Principal, ushering in a quieter but more methodical leadership style. Alongside this shift, Haas strengthened its financial and technical footing through new partnerships, including one with Toyota, signalling a more stable and ambitious future.

The team also refreshed its driver lineup for 2025, signing former Alpine driver Esteban Ocon and rookie Ollie Bearman. The pairing has delivered a mixed bag of results, flashes of promise alongside inevitable setbacks, highlighted by Bearman’s stunning P4 finish in Mexico, one of the standout performances of Haas’s modern era.

But with Formula 1’s sweeping 2026 regulation changes looming, the key question remains: Will Haas be able to keep up with the rest of the midfield as teams redirect time and resources toward future seasons, or will they struggle to maintain momentum and fall behind? In this episode, we examine Haas’s 2025 campaign in the context of its past, and explore what the data and decisions suggest about what comes next.

About the Series: Over ten episodes, Grand Pricks explore every 2025 Formula 1 team in depth, unpacking the drama, decisions, and defining moments, both on track and behind closed doors. Starting from last place in the Constructors' Championship to first, we reveal the stories you didn't see on race day.

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