For the first time in its history, Haas F1 enters a new season without Gene Haas having to inject his own money into the team—a monumental shift that signals the American outfit’s financial stability. With a full budget cap for 2025, team principal Ayao Komatsu has set an ambitious goal: finishing sixth in the Constructors’ Championship.
After securing seventh place in 2024, Haas is now aiming to climb the F1 midfield battle, but Komatsu acknowledges that it will take significant structural changes to make that leap.
Haas Hits the Budget Cap for the First Time
In an exclusive interview with F1.com, Komatsu revealed the financial transformation within Haas:
“This year is the first time that, as a company, Gene Haas doesn’t have to put his own money in,” he said. “We haven’t been hitting the budget cap, [but] we are hitting it this year.”
For years, Haas has been operating under budget, but with increased prize money and sponsorship revenue, 2025 marks a new era where financial constraints are no longer an excuse. However, this also brings a new challenge—managing resources efficiently within the budget cap.
“Before, when we were under the budget cap, if we had money, we could spend it without worrying about it,” Komatsu added. “Now we have to make sure we stay within the budget cap. But if you want to be competitive, that’s the minimum where you should be.”
Haas Undergoes Biggest Structural Overhaul Since 2016
While financial stability is a major milestone, Haas’ on-track performance still needs significant improvement. Komatsu openly admitted that the team’s trackside operations were among its weakest areas, and to address this, Haas has undergone its biggest personnel shake-up since joining F1 in 2016.
Key appointments include:
- Francesco Nenci – Chief Race Engineer, filling a position that had been vacant for a year
- Mark Lowe – Sporting Director, a newly created role
- Carine Cridelich – Head of Strategy
- Laura Mueller & Ronan O’Hare – New race engineers, replacing Mark Slade & Gary Gannon
This revamped trackside leadership will be crucial as Haas integrates its completely new driver lineup of Esteban Ocon and F2 star Ollie Bearman, replacing the outgoing Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg.
Can Haas Achieve P6 in 2025?
While Komatsu’s target of P6 in the Constructors’ Championship is ambitious, he remains realistic about the challenge.
“There are still so many things we need to do. We finished P7 in 2024. Yes, the target is P6 in 2025, but we haven’t achieved that consistent result,” he admitted. “Even fighting for the same position, P6/P7, would be a huge achievement.”
With Alpine, Aston Martin, and Williams all in the mix, breaking into the top six will be a fierce battle. However, with:
✅ A fully utilized budget
✅ Major structural upgrades
✅ A promising new driver lineup
Haas finally has the tools to compete at a higher level. But can they deliver?
One thing is certain: 2025 will be the defining season for Haas F1’s long-term future.