F1 News: Haas Chief Reveals Upgrade Plan Changes After Positive Season Start

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has spoken out on the upgrade plan for the VF24.

Ayao Komatsu - Haas / Haas Press Image

Haas F1 team principal Ayao Komatsu has revealed that the American team is set to bring forward the VF24 upgrade plan after a promising season start.

Key Takeaways:

• Haas is accelerating its upgrade schedule for the VF24 following a better-than-anticipated start to the 2024 season.
• The team's performance has seen a notable improvement, with points scored in the recent races, signalling a potential turnaround.
• Ayao Komatsu, the new team principal, has confirmed the early upgrades, driven by promising developments in the aerodynamics department.

Nov 17, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Moneygram Haas F1 driver Kevin Magnussen (20) of Denmark / Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

Following a challenging 2023 season that saw Haas finish at the bottom of the constructors' standings, the team initiated significant changes. The departure of former team principal Guenther Steiner and the appointment of then trackside engineering director Ayao Komatsu marked a new era for the American team. Despite Komatsu's initial reservations about the team's prospects, citing their likely position towards the back of the grid, the team has demonstrated considerable progress early in the 2024 season.

With four points already under their belt, including a commendable double points finish in Australia, Haas has outperformed expectations. Nico Hulkenberg's 10th place in Saudi Arabia and subsequent points in Australia, alongside Kevin Magnussen, have injected newfound optimism into the team. This positive momentum has been further bolstered by an email from Komatsu to Haas fans, revealing the decision to expedite the deployment of the VF24's first set of upgrades.

Komatsu explained in a letter to fans:

“Looking ahead, we know there is a lot of work to be done. Regarding the VF-24, the direction is clear.

“Originally, we were going to bring our first upgrade slightly later in the season, but our aerodynamics team has been doing some solid work.

“So instead, we’re going to be bringing updates earlier, which is a change for the team.

“We’ve seen encouraging signs so now we need to prove it on track."

The next race is set to take place in Japan next week for the fourth round of the 2024 season.