Summer shutdown has arrived for Haas.
The laptops are off. The workshops are still. But before Haas stepped away, Ayao Komatsu gave his take on a month that’s been as busy as it’s been encouraging.
Silverstone – First Real Chance to Chase Pace
The early rounds were about survival.
Melbourne was the slowest car in the field. Suzuka and Imola brought targeted fixes. Aero and mechanical changes to deal with the specific weaknesses that had shown up straight away in Australia.
Silverstone was the first upgrade package of 2025 designed purely to go faster.
The step was obvious.
Ollie Bearman put it P8 in qualifying. Just six tenths off pole around one of the fastest tracks on the calendar. The VF-25 carried speed through the high-speed sweeps, the balance sharper and more predictable than it had been since testing.
It was a reminder of what Haas had done in 2024. Finding gains mid-season that closed gaps in both qualifying and race pace.
Goodwood – Ten Years in F1, Taken to the Fans
From the track to the showground.
Haas made its Goodwood Festival of Speed debut. Ten years in Formula 1, marked with a public celebration.
It was the team’s first time able to put on something at this scale. The heritage programme, built in partnership with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, now gives Haas the capability to bring its past cars and stories to big public events.
Gene Haas was there. Climbed into the F1 car. Took on the hillclimb. Spent hours with fans without being hurried along. The kind of hands-on involvement you rarely see from team owners.
The numbers were big. Over 40,000 people came through the Haas activation booth across the weekend, including some faces you may recognise. It wasn’t just merchandise and static displays; it was an open-door look at the team’s identity.
Both race drivers attended. Haas was the only F1 outfit to bring their full line-up. Komatsu summed it up. Haas doesn’t do things in half measures.
Spa – Highs in the Sprint, Lessons in the Main Race
Back to racing.
Spa-Francorchamps is its own challenge. Last year’s package hadn’t worked here.
This time, the sprint weekend format gave Haas a chance to show the raw pace. Sprint qualifying put Ocon fifth, Bearman seventh. Both converted those starts into points in the short race. Sector one speed was strong, helped by the latest power unit calibration.
Grand Prix qualifying was close. Two tenths from Q3. The race itself was less straightforward. Strategy didn’t unlock the pace they had shown earlier in the weekend. Clean air running looked competitive, but traffic and tyre phase worked against them.
Hungary – Potential Left on the Table
The Hungaroring should have been better.
The slow and medium-speed profile suits the VF-25’s improved mechanical grip. But execution wasn’t there.
No major damage. No reliability failures. Just a weekend where small missteps in set-up direction and track evolution combined to keep the car away from where it should have been.
Three rounds in a row with glimpses of speed but no complete result. Komatsu knows the pattern. In 2025’s midfield, the difference between a top-six finish and walking away empty-handed can be no more than a tenth here or there.
Drivers – Building Trust and Raising Standards
Komatsu also spoke on the driver line-up.
Esteban Ocon’s work ethic continues to push the team forward. Shanghai was the perfect case study. A one-stop strategy against a field leaning on two. Tyre management on the limit, but faultless.
His simulator sessions have set the bar for Haas’ young engineering group. Race preparation, feedback loops, and detail in debriefs are sharper because of his input.
Bearman’s natural speed is already obvious. Just 20. Still a rookie. Mistakes are inevitable. But his personality lifts the garage. Engineers want to work with him. His energy pulls people in.
The mutual respect matters. Team orders have been followed without hesitation. At Spa, Ocon even swapped positions on his own when he knew it would help.
From Backmarker to Midfield Player
From Melbourne’s slowest lap times to running within six tenths of pole at Silverstone, Haas has taken a clear step. The upgrades have worked. The drivers are delivering flashes of what is possible.
There is still a gap to close. But if the second half of 2025 follows the same curve, Haas could be talking about more than just progress.
Komatsu’s last words before the break were short. “Enjoy the time away. We’ll see you when we’re back.”