Confirmed clues
The clues from the Haas website and the 'rumors' on social networks this time were premonitory: Gunther Steiner is no longer the team principal of the American team. The manager from Bolzano, who has directed the stars and stripes team since the first season in Formula 1, way back in 2016, has been replaced by Ayao Komatsu, who is therefore promoted from his previous role as Director of Engineering. The replacement at the top takes place, quoting the Haas press release, “with immediate effect“.
Like Steiner, Komatsu has also been part of the American team since 2016. He had started working as chief race engineer, while from today he will have to lead the recovery attempt of a team that in the last three years has finished twice in last place in the world rankings reserved for Manufacturers. The announcement of the change of team principal comes on the day in which the indiscretion of another heavy farewell was also confirmed: that of the technical director Simone Restawho leaves Haas after joining the team at the beginning of 2021.
Statements from Haas and Komatsu
“I would first like to thank Guenther Steiner for his hard work over the last ten years and wish him well for the future – commented Gene Haas, Team Owner of the American team – to move forward as an organization it was clear that we needed to improve our performance on the track. By appointing Ayao Komatsu as team principal we have fundamentally put engineering at the center of our management”.
“I am of course very excited to have the opportunity to become team principal of the Haas team – commented Komatsu – Having been with the team since its track debut in 2016 I am obviously passionately involved in its success in Formula 1. I look forward to leading our program and the various operations within the team to ensure that we can build a structure that produces better performance on the track.”
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