Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu: ‘We shouldn’t be fourth. We’re the smallest F1 team’
Ayao Komatsu, the Haas team principal, has led the smallest Formula One team to an unexpected fourth place in the championship after three races, outperforming giants like Red Bull. Originally from Japan, Komatsu moved to the UK to study automotive engineering and embraced British culture through rugby and supporting Coventry City. His rebellious spirit and desire to escape cultural conformity have shaped his leadership style and driven Haas’s current success.
- ▪Haas is in fourth place in the 2026 F1 constructors' championship, their best start in history.
- ▪Komatsu moved from Japan to study at Warwick and Loughborough, then joined a rugby club in Coventry.
- ▪He replaced Guenther Steiner as Haas team principal in 2024 after a decade with the team.
- ▪Komatsu played scrum-half due to his small stature and became a devoted Coventry City fan.
- ▪Haas is the smallest F1 team but currently outperforms Red Bull in the standings.
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Ayao Komatsu left Japan to study at Warwick University and Loughborough and played rugby at scrum-half. Photograph: Joe Portlock/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenAyao Komatsu left Japan to study at Warwick University and Loughborough and played rugby at scrum-half. Photograph: Joe Portlock/Getty ImagesFormula One 2026InterviewHaas team principal Ayao Komatsu: ‘We shouldn’t be fourth. We’re the smallest F1 team’Giles Richards in MiamiCoventry-supporting Japanese has used his rebel streak and risk-taking instincts to spur on Oliver Bearman this seasonFri 1 May 2026 07.04 EDTLast modified on Fri 1 May 2026 09.56 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleThere is no one quite like Ayao Komatsu in Formula One.
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