Gene Haas is determined to maintain Haas F1’s midfield stance, ensuring the team does not regress.
Gene Haas is hopeful that his team can consolidate its position in the Formula 1 midfield following his decision to replace Gunther Steiner with Ayao Komatsu, which has led to a more competitive 2024 season.
Steiner’s contract was not renewed at the end of last year, with Komatsu promoted to the role ahead of the new season. After finishing at the bottom of the constructors’ championship in two of the last three years, Haas F1 has enjoyed a much stronger campaign so far, currently seventh in the standings after two consecutive sixth-place finishes by Nico Hulkenberg, and the team owner is keen to maintain this level of competitiveness.
“We’ve reached this stage on the mountain and we need to stay here for a while, not slide back down,” Haas told SiriusXM.
“We have a good pace – our car isn’t as fast as we would like but it’s as fast as it can be at the moment to be in the midfield. So if we can stay there, we’ll be in good shape.”
“We have more improvements coming throughout the year. I think these improvements have been much more successful than in previous years, so I hope that will allow us to stay ahead of everyone else we’re racing against.”
Haas says the decision to appoint a new team director was easy to make, even though Steiner had held the position since the team’s inception, stating that the poor finishing positions had become tiresome.
“We’ve made a lot of changes and the changes are working, so that’s good. Everything is fine. We had four years where we were almost last, so that was enough to motivate me.”
The American was present in Austria and Great Britain to witness Hulkenberg’s two sixth places and was pleased with how his team seized its opportunities, although he admitted it was bittersweet given that Hulkenberg will leave at the end of the season.
“It’s a good feeling. I think we’ve managed to adapt to our pace, choosing the right tyres, making the right choices in the pits and everything else. Everything’s important, we haven’t made any mistakes.”
“Nico is extracting the maximum from the car; we know that’s about as fast as the car can go when he’s driving it. Things change, you get used to it in racing.”
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Haas F1’s Aim: Hold Strong, Avoid Decline Haas F1’s Aim: Hold Strong, Avoid Decline
