The Latest Breaking News from Ayao Komatsu

The American-owned outfit spent much of 2023 trying to get to the bottom of why its VF-23 car was fast in qualifying but would struggle so much to look after its tyres in the race.

The American-fronted outfit, which finished bottom of the constructors' championship last season, has revealed on social media that the VF-24 will break cover on 2 February - though Autosport understands this will merely the new livery on renders of the VF-24.

After an on-stage QA – and impromptu book signing – with Sky Sports F1 TV commentator David Croft in front of a bumper crowd at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, Steiner gave his first media interviews since leaving the squad he formed on behalf of team owner Gene Haas…

In two years, all teams but Mercedes and Red Bull have changed their team principals. Steiner has joined Mattia Binotto, Jost Capito and Otmar Szafnauer (twice) on the list of those who were ousted in somewhat acrimonious circumstances, with director of engineering Ayao Komatsu taking over at Haas.

The Haas Formula 1 team announced this week (10 January) the shock departure of team principal Guenther Steiner, with Ayao Komatsu as his replacement.

In two years, all teams but Mercedes and Red Bull have changed their team principals. Steiner has joined Mattia Binotto, Jost Capito and Otmar Szafnauer (twice) on the list of those who were ousted in somewhat acrimonious circumstances, with director of engineering Ayao Komatsu taking over at Haas.

American team make surprise move as Ayao Komatsu hired

The American has also opened up on his reasons for not renewing the contract of team principal Guenther Steiner, and for promoting Ayao Komatsu to the role rather than taking on an outsider.

After all, the way that Andrea Stella took to the team principal role at McLaren like a duck to water – helping steer one of the most impressive F1 comebacks in living memory – showed all that’s possible with the right engineering-led focus at the top.