Steiner has been instrumental in shaping the team since its induction into Formula 1 in 2016. He was the third longest-serving team principal in F1 history, surpassed only by Red Bull's Christian Horner and Mercedes' Toto Wolff.
More than his tenure, Steiner is fondly remembered for his dynamic presence in the sport, particularly underscored by his role in Netflix’s "Drive To Survive" series. Under his aegis, Haas saw unprecedented highs such as scoring points in their debut Australian Grand Prix in 2016, a maiden pole position in Brazil, and finishing fifth in the constructor’s championship in 2018.
Last year, however, was testing for the team, with Haas finishing last in the constructors’ championship. Between the diminishing race pace on Sundays and failure in transforming one-lap qualifying pace into points, the team faced substantial hurdles.
The Decision for Change
Both Steiner and owner, Gene Haas, arrived at a mutual decision over the winter for Steiner to part ways with the team. The choice was largely influenced by Haas' fall in performance during their last season.
Introducing Ayao Komatsu: The New Team Principal
Steiner's successor, Komatsu, has been with Haas since their F1 debut, pioneering as the Chief Race Engineer to subsequently becoming the Director of Engineering. His robust 20-year stint in Formula 1, with previous roles in British American Racing and Renault, promises to bring a fresh perspective to the team's leadership.
Komatsu's responsibilities will span the team’s overall strategy, on-track performance, and employee empowerment, with strong emphasis on enhancing the team’s potential through improved structural process and efficiency.
Ensuring Future Success and Efficiency
A European-based Chief Operating Officer is slated to join Haas to oversee all non-competition matters, including HR, admin, finance, marketing, and communications, allowing Komatsu to focus primarily on the team's on-track performance.
Gene Haas, while expressing gratitude for Steiner's contributions, stated that the organization's future success depends on improved on-track performances, and consequently the appointment of an engineer like Komatsu as the team principal was crucial. Haas stressed the importance of honing the team's design and engineering capability and utilizing the available resources efficiently to compete effectively in Formula 1.
In response to his new role, Komatsu expressed his enthusiasm and commitment to improving the on-track performances and the competitiveness of the team. He emphasized the importance of leveraging the support from Gene and the team's partners, along with the collective strength of the team spread across Kannapolis, Banbury, and Maranello to achieve the success the team is capable of.
