Despite a commendable performance and a double points finish at the 2025 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu has expressed concern about persistent issues with their racecar, the VF-25. Following a disappointing 13th and 14th-place result at the season opener in Melbourne, the team had an impressive turnaround in China, leaving Komatsu both elated and wary.
The American team’s initial optimism in Melbourne was quickly deflated as aerodynamic issues with the VF-25 became apparent, particularly in high-speed corners. These problems had been masked during pre-season testing at the Bahrain circuit, which has similar circuit traits to the Shanghai International Circuit, predominantly slow and medium-speed corners.
This similarity perhaps explains why the team’s performance in China was less of a surprise, especially Esteban Ocon’s impressive leap from 11th to seventh place. His teammate, Oliver Bearman, also utilized a different strategy to climb from 17th to 10th place. The team’s standing was further boosted due to disqualifications for both Ferrari drivers and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, promoting Ocon and Bearman to fifth and eighth places respectively.
Komatsu was quick to acknowledge the team’s resilience and their ability to bounce back from the Australian setback, hailing it as an “amazing reaction”. However, he was cautious to temper expectations, stating that the impressive result was likely circuit-specific and did not mean that the VF-25’s aerodynamic issues had been resolved.
Komatsu emphasized that while some circuits may be more forgiving, others could still pose a significant problem. He said, “When we can operate the car in the way we want, thanks to the circuit characteristics, this is what we can do. We delivered today.”
In the race, Ocon successfully undercut multiple drivers during the first round of pit stops, while Bearman, starting on hard tyres, waited until lap 26 to switch to mediums. The two-stop strategy employed by the Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda and Isack Hadjar proved slower, allowing Ocon to gain another position.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Komatsu was full of praise for the collective effort, stating, “Everyone has a failure, right? But failure shouldn’t define you. What defines you is how you get up from that failure – and I think as a whole team we showed that.”
Bearman, speaking to Sky Sports F1, admitted to being surprised at his one-stop strategy and also expressed confidence in the performance of the Haas car in China. He said, “It’s the type of track which on paper is good for our car. It’s very smooth, not many bumps, and that’s what we’re looking for at the moment.”
Despite the team’s outstanding comeback in China, Komatsu remains concerned that the problems faced in Australia may not be an isolated incident. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see if Haas can continue to overcome its challenges and maintain this momentum.
