New Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has been warned he faces “a huge challenge” after taking over the role from the axed Guenther Steiner.
Team owner Gene Haas stressed after opting to part ways with Steiner and appointing Komatsu that the F1 outfit now “fundamentally has engineering at the heart of our management” in what is a change of direction and focus for the team.
Komatsu has spent the last 21 years working in F1, initially with BAR in 2003 before joining Renault three years later, working as a performance engineer before moving on to race engineer to Vitaly Petrov and then Romain Grosjean through the Lotus years.
Grosjean’s departure from Lotus to join Haas at the start of its F1 adventure in 2016 resulted in the 47-year-old Japanese joining him at the American team, working together for a further five seasons before the Frenchman retired from F1 following his horrific crash in the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix.
Grosjean has remained friends with Komatsu over the past few years despite competing in IndyCar.
Speaking during an IndyCar media day ahead of the new season that will see him drive for Juncos Hollinger Racing after two years with Andretti Autosport, Grosjean initially conceded to being in the dark regarding Steiner’s departure.
“I don’t know what happened,” said Grosjean. “I don’t know more details than you do, but I wish Guenther all the best in his next chapter.
“He’s definitely a man that’s got a lot of ideas and things to do, but for me, the main thing is [I’m] very happy for Ayao.”
Komatsu, however, faces an uphill task in resurrecting the fortunes of a team that finished at the foot of last year’s constructors’ championship for the second time in three years.
Assessing the role ahead for Komatsu, Grosjean said: “First of all, he’s a very good friend of mine. I competed in every one of my 181 Formula 1 (grands prix) with him working on my car.
“His kids are the same age as my kids, so we’ve been very good friends, and I’m excited for him.
“It’s a huge challenge in front of him but I’m excited for him.”
Komatsu at least goes into the role knowing he has the full support of Haas who has made clear he will not be pulling the plug on his operation and selling up.
After an eight-year run in F1, Haas has stated it is his firm intention “to survive (in the sport) for the next 10 years”.
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