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Haas hamstrung by budget gap: Komatsu decries 'unfair fight'
Team Principal Ayao Komatsu reveals Haas is the only Formula 1 team not spending up to the cost cap, taking a heavy toll on staff in a season marked by rapid development.
By Nadia van Leeuwen - 2026-07-17T08:39:27.000Z - 2 min read
Haas, long known as the smallest Formula 1 team, finds itself in a tough spot as the performance of the VF-26 has fallen off significantly. Team Principal Ayao Komatsu confirms his squad is the sole outfit operating well below the cost cap, a situation he considers 'absolutely' unique. It frustrates the Japanese boss immensely, as he believes it creates an unfair fight for his crew.
While development pace was more stable last season, this year has seen an unprecedented upgrade race. Driver Ollie Bearman notes that top teams bring major improvements almost weekly, something Haas is simply unable to match. Consequently, the team is being overtaken on track, and the updates that are introduced do not always deliver the desired effect.
However, Komatsu rejects criticism that the introduced updates fail to work and praises his crew's dedication. He emphasizes that despite limited resources, staff are doing a fantastic job, something anyone with Formula 1 knowledge would understand. The Team Principal puts the responsibility on himself: he must secure sufficient funding so the team can compete on equal footing.
According to Komatsu, reaching the cost cap is the absolute baseline for performance and sits right at the top of his priority list. This structural underfunding was, incidentally, a major reason behind the departure of former Team Principal Guenther Steiner. Komatsu is working hard to secure the necessary revenues, but warns that such changes take time.
Despite disappointing results in races like Miami and Silverstone, Komatsu praises the open culture at Haas, where nobody hides from the issues. Staff jointly analyze root causes and search for solutions, an attitude the Team Principal deeply respects. He remains determined to give his team the resources they deserve.