James Allen On F1 58: Meet the leader making F1’s smallest team punch above its weight!
Nov 19, 2025
55:26
This week, we have the latest in our series of F1 team principal
interviews as we meet Ayao Komatsu at the HQ of Haas, F1’s
smallest team.
What Haas may lack in headcount, they more than make up for in
team spirit, as this engaging interview reveals.
Ayao has been at Haas since the team debuted in 2016. Last season
Gene Haas picked him to succeed the charismatic, but sweary
Guenther Steiner as team principal. Ayao was born in Japan and
moved to England as a teenager to study English and pursue his
dream of working in F1. He rose through the ranks as an engineer
with Lotus and Renault, where he worked closely with Romain
Grosjean.
As a highly competitive F1 season comes to a close, Haas is fighting
Aston Martin and Racing Bulls for 6th in the Constructors’
Championship. Ayao reflects on some key decisions taken earlier
this season, which have boosted Haas’ recent competitiveness. Ollie
Bearman equalled the team’s best ever result with P4 in Mexico
and then backed that up with another strong points haul in Brazil.
Joining James Allen in the studio for a wraparound chat is former
Red Bull and Aston Martin F1 technical leader Dan Fallows.
Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X
or
interviews as we meet Ayao Komatsu at the HQ of Haas, F1’s
smallest team.
What Haas may lack in headcount, they more than make up for in
team spirit, as this engaging interview reveals.
Ayao has been at Haas since the team debuted in 2016. Last season
Gene Haas picked him to succeed the charismatic, but sweary
Guenther Steiner as team principal. Ayao was born in Japan and
moved to England as a teenager to study English and pursue his
dream of working in F1. He rose through the ranks as an engineer
with Lotus and Renault, where he worked closely with Romain
Grosjean.
As a highly competitive F1 season comes to a close, Haas is fighting
Aston Martin and Racing Bulls for 6th in the Constructors’
Championship. Ayao reflects on some key decisions taken earlier
this season, which have boosted Haas’ recent competitiveness. Ollie
Bearman equalled the team’s best ever result with P4 in Mexico
and then backed that up with another strong points haul in Brazil.
Joining James Allen in the studio for a wraparound chat is former
Red Bull and Aston Martin F1 technical leader Dan Fallows.
Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X
or
jamesallenonf1@autosport.com
.
Producer: Ben Holmes, Andrea Sidler
A Motorsport Studios production for Autosport
.
Producer: Ben Holmes, Andrea Sidler
A Motorsport Studios production for Autosport