Nico Hulkenberg is full of praise for the new Haas team principal, Ayao Komatsu.
P12 and P16 were Haas F1 Team’s opening results of 2024. Taken in isolation, this would only be a minor change from last season. However, even a basic analysis will show Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen have reasons to be optimistic.
Qualifying was the first sign of promise for Haas, who spent most of pre-season focusing on race simulations.
Despite the team’s heavy prioritisation on high-fuel running, Nico Hulkenberg once again showed his prowess.
Kevin Magnussen was less impressive, though still managed a respectable P15.
In terms of performance, things only got better for Ayao Komatsu’s team.
Early contact forced Nico Hulkenberg into an early stop, and an average qualifying meant points were always unlikely for his Danish teammate.
However, both drivers showed considerable pace over a race distance. More significantly, the VF-24 proved far more gentle on its tyres than its predecessor.
For a team that also faced tyre struggles in 2019, there will be a sigh of relief that progress was made over winter.
Haas benefiting from a new approach
During the Saudi Arabia GP Drivers’ Press Conference, Hulkenberg commented on Komatsu’s leadership:
“Yeah, obviously he didn’t have to settle or get to know the team.
“But I think he settled in well into his new position. He got thrown in the cold water, definitely.
“Obviously, a lot of new responsibilities and things he has to do are new to him.
“But so far, I think he’s doing a very good job taking it all in, looking for the fastest way to performance.
“Also for the medium and long term.
“He’s got a lot of interesting and good ideas. So, yeah, it’s quite refreshing and feels positive so far.”
When asked for similarities between Komatsu and Steiner, Hulkenberg responded, “none, pretty different.”
For all the positives just mentioned, it cannot be overlooked that foundational weaknesses still remain.
Haas are still in a tightly contested midfield consisting of teams that outspend them.
Still, difficulties elsewhere on the field and a resurgent Ferrari could keep the team in contention throughout 2024.
Whilst the teal test for Haas will be later in the season, the VF-24 is at least something they can work with.
Moreover, a new set of regulations in 2026 could limit the resources teams divert into 2025.
Potentially, this could help mitigate the impacts of the minimal development at Haas relative to others.
