The Haas Formula 1 team announced this week (10 January) the shock departure of team principal Guenther Steiner, with Ayao Komatsu as his replacement.
It came after Haas finished bottom of the 2023 F1 constructors’ championship, which was its second last-place finish in three years.
Such form has led to Steiner losing his job, a role the Italian had held since the American outfit joined F1 in 2016.
So, with Komatsu now leading the squad into 2024 and beyond, who is the new Haas team principal and how did he end up in the role?
Komatsu is the new Haas team principal, having replaced Steiner for the 2024 F1 season. The 47-year-old was born in Tokyo but aged 19 he left Japan for the United Kingdom to study Automotive Engineering at Loughborough University. Komatsu later obtained a PhD from Loughborough and has stayed in the UK ever since to work various roles in F1.
Komatsu became the Haas F1 team principal after Steiner’s contract came to an end. However, friction had emerged between Steiner and team owner Gene Haas following disagreements over how to take the team forward.
Source: Autosport