KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (January 10, 2024) – MoneyGram Haas F1 Team has appointed Ayao Komatsu as its new Team Principal with Guenther Steiner departing the organization with immediate effect, having led its operations for the past decade. Komatsu, promoted from his role as Director of Engineering, has been with the team since its debut season in 2016 – starting as Chief Race Engineer.
With over 20 years of Formula 1 experience, both in engineering and management – the 47-year-old Japanese engineering graduate commenced his career in motorsport at British American Racing before a long tenure at Renault. Komatsu will now oversee all competition elements of the business as Team Principal.
Komatsu will take responsibility for the team’s overall strategy, and ultimately on-track performance, with a brief to maximize the team’s potential through employee empowerment and structural process and efficiency.
To further strengthen team operations off-track, and in support of Komatsu’s performance-led focus as Team Principal, a European-based Chief Operating Officer will be appointed to manage all non-competition matters and departments, the role expected to be based at MoneyGram Haas F1 Team’s Banbury facility.
“I’d like to start by extending my thanks to Guenther Steiner for all his hard work over the past decade and I wish him well for the future. Moving forward as an organization it was clear we need to improve our on-track performances. In appointing Ayao Komatsu as Team Principal we fundamentally have engineering at the heart of our management.
“We have had some successes, but we need to be consistent in delivering results that help us reach our wider goals as an organization. We need to be efficient with the resources we have but improving our design and engineering capability is key to our success as a team. I’m looking forward to working with Ayao and fundamentally ensuring that we maximize our potential – this truly reflects my desire to compete properly in Formula 1.”
Gene Haas, Team Owner at MoneyGram Haas F1 Team
“I’m naturally very excited to have the opportunity to be Team Principal at MoneyGram Haas F1 Team,” stated Ayao Komatsu, newly-appointed Team Principal of MoneyGram Haas F1 Team. “Having been with the team since its track-debut back in 2016 I’m obviously passionately invested in its success in Formula 1. I’m looking forward to leading our program and the various competitive operations internally to ensure we can build a structure that produces improved on-track performances.
“We are a performance-based business. We obviously haven’t been competitive enough recently which has been a source of frustration for us all. We have amazing support from Gene and our various partners, and we want to mirror their enthusiasm with an improved on-track product. We have a great team of people across Kannapolis, Banbury and Maranello and together I know we can achieve the kind of results we’re capable of.”
Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal of MoneyGram Haas F1 Team
The 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship commences with pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit from February 21-23, with the season-opener – the Bahrain Grand Prix, taking place at the same venue February 29 – March 2.