Binotto and Szafnauer ignored by Haas: the reasons for the 'internal solution' | FP

Change of leadership

January 2024 – a historically 'dead' month as far as the world of Formula 1 is concerned in view of the advent of the new season – instead gave Circus fans a market twist that was anything but irrelevant. The reference is obviously to failure to renew the contract between the Haas team and the now former team principal Gunther Steiner. The manager from Bolzano was shown the door during the Christmas holidays and his place was taken by the technical director Ayao Komatsu.

Big 'snubbed'

Komatsu has been within the American team since its debut in F1, in 2016, and is obviously having its first experience in the complex role of team principal. However, they were at least present on the market two names of decidedly more experienced managerswho have already held the role of top manager of a team: Otmar Szafnauerformer team principal of Racing Point/Aston Martin and Alpine, e Mattia Binottowho was the boss of the Ferrari team from 2019 to 2022.

However, neither of these two profiles, certainly 'heavier' than that of Komatsu, was taken into consideration by the founder of the US team, Gene Haas. The explanation was provided by the Ohio manager himself, in an interview given to the official Formula 1 website in which he reasoned about the choice to change team principal after having always relied on Steiner in these first eight seasons in the Circus.

The 'internal solution' prevails

“I have been at the helm of Haas Automation for over 40 years – Haas declared – and I know that bringing in people from the outside takes time to learn. They take six months to a year and then, often, you don't even like them. It is better to take people who know each other, and even if they are not perfect. At least you know what you'll get.”.

“This has worked very well for us here at Haas Automation and I am applying many of the elements I use here to the Formula 1 team. I really like being around people I knowwho understand daily operations, who understand people, [piuttosto che] bring a stranger here who will mix everything up and create confusion“, concluded the American manager. Now it will be up to Komatsu to prove that he was the right choice.