Haas Take Positives from Difficult Singapore Grand Prix as Komatsu Targets Austin Progress
Bearman’s Sprint points offer encouragement despite a frustrating Sunday for the American team
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu believes there are plenty of positives to take from the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, despite a disappointing Sunday that saw Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon finish 12th and 13th respectively.
The American outfit enjoyed a more encouraging Saturday, with Bearman securing sixth place in the Sprint and adding valuable points to the team’s tally. However, that momentum failed to carry over into the Grand Prix, where both drivers struggled to make an impression in the battle for the top ten.
Reflecting on the final race of a demanding triple-header, Komatsu acknowledged that Haas had been unable to capitalise on its potential, particularly during the opening stages.
« The Singapore race was difficult, » Komatsu admitted.
« We got stuck at the start and lost positions. Although we had decent pace, we couldn’t make use of it during the first stint. In the second stint, we simply weren’t quick enough to get back into the fight for points. »
Despite the disappointing result, the Japanese team principal was keen to highlight the operational strengths demonstrated throughout the weekend.
Komatsu praised the team’s race execution and the pit crew’s response to a late call to bring Bearman into the pits, insisting there was little Haas could have done differently from a strategic and operational perspective.
« There are a lot of positives to take from this weekend, » he explained.
« We managed and executed the race very well. There was nothing we could have done differently in that respect, and the pit crew reacted perfectly to the late call to bring Ollie in. »
Another encouraging factor was Bearman’s confidence in the car from the beginning of the weekend.
According to Komatsu, the British rookie immediately felt comfortable with the VF-26, providing the team with a positive foundation despite its difficulties on Sunday.
« Another positive is that Ollie felt very confident and happy with the car right from the start, » Komatsu added.
« So there are plenty of encouraging things to take forward, and I’m very proud of the work the entire team has done. »
The Singapore weekend also brought an exhausting sequence of three consecutive Grands Prix to a close. Although Haas missed out on points in Sunday’s race, Komatsu stressed that scoring in two of those three events represented meaningful progress.
« This triple-header has been demanding, but we scored points in two of the three races, which is very positive, and we’re looking forward to the next triple-header. »
With the championship heading to Austin, Komatsu hopes the lessons learned in Singapore will help Haas take another step forward in its development.
« Armed with what we’ve learned this weekend, I hope we can take another step forward in our progress for Austin. »
For Haas, Singapore ultimately delivered a mixed verdict: a promising Sprint performance, solid race operations and encouraging feedback from Bearman, but insufficient Sunday pace to challenge for points.
Komatsu’s focus now turns to converting those positives into stronger Grand Prix results when the team returns to action in the United States.
