Former Haas F1 team boss Guenther Steiner said successor Ayao Komatsu “doesn’t know what he’s talking about” following his criticism of the previous Haas era, Steiner issuing a stern response.
Steiner had served as Haas team principal since before they even joined the Formula 1 grid in 2016, putting all the ingredients in place and securing the crucial Dallara and Ferrari partnerships. But, he would be shown the exit door following the 2023 campaign, with long-serving trackside engineering director Ayao Komatsu promoted to team boss.
Guenther Steiner responds to ‘confrontational’ Ayao Komatsu
And in a recent interview with RacingNews365 , Komatsu hit out at what he deemed to be an “excuse” mentality formerly plaguing Haas, which is what got team owner Gene Haas “frustrated”.
“The reason [Gene] got frustrated over the years, for some there is an excuse like COVID [in 2020], but last year, there was no excuse,” said Komatsu.
“There was always some excuse like: ‘Okay, this year we are not developing because we are just preparing for next year.
“For 2023, there is no excuse and then what happened in 2023 is because we didn’t fundamentally address the issues of 2019.
“That is people being in denial, pointing the finger at certain things.
“We were never working properly as a team, that was totally clear.”
Steiner was told about those comments when he appeared on The Red Flags podcast , Steiner hitting back by saying Komatsu “doesn’t know what he’s talking about” with that 2019 issues claim, and gave his version of events.
He also told Komatsu to “concentrate on his job” as Haas’ VF-24, which showed strong form in the first-half of F1 2024, had “nothing to do at all” with his input, Steiner saying any proof of progress will be seen in where the team goes from here.
“Woah, the genius Ayao Komatsu [laughs],” said Steiner.
“I think if he’s going back to 2019, it was a different world, you know. So he doesn’t really know what he’s talking about there.
“I mean, last year, I was always pretty clear, last year, the concept of the car was wrong and it was admitted in June, and it was changed.
“And therefore, he should thank that one, because that made it possible to have, in 2024, a good car at the beginning of the season, which he had nothing to do at all with it, you know, he had zero to do. It’s all to do with the people which are now working very well, you know, also bringing upgrades.
“But, for example, in ’22, there was no money to make upgrades. There was just no cash. I mean, we didn’t have any money to do upgrades.
“And last year, there was no upgrades because there was no performance found in the wind tunnel. If you don’t find performance, no point to make upgrades and trying to kid yourself, you know, it was better to focus on the next one.
“And thank God that was done last year, otherwise he wouldn’t score points sometimes, because the last two races, I wouldn’t say that they performed what the car is capable of. In Spa, I mean, it was I think the slowest car.
“But the proof is in the pudding. Let’s wait a little bit, until this regulation is over, and then we can see how good everything is.
“And I wish everybody well. I have no axe to grind or anything, you know, against these people. But it’s like Ayao Komatsu tries to be confrontational with me, I mean, he should concentrate on his job. And I’m not working there anymore. I cannot help you buddy, you know, buddy, you’re on your own now.”
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