Ayao Komatsu reveals that team owner Gene Haas is “downright annoyed” by the many offers to buy his team – he has “no interest whatsoever” in selling
The Haas team is already completing its tenth Formula 1 season this year and has every reason to celebrate: Team owner Gene Haas’s team has long since established itself in the premier class and apparently sees no reason to end its involvement in the coming years.
“I don’t know everything, of course, but I do know that [Gene Haas] has received numerous offers to sell the team over the past 18 months. He has no interest whatsoever,” reveals team boss Ayao Komatsu. “He’s not thinking about selling at all.”
“I can say that there have been a few people lately who really wanted to buy the team. Gene has no interest,“ the Japanese man clarifies, and even goes further: ”He was really annoyed that they kept trying.“
”He really enjoys being the owner of a Formula 1 team – currently one of ten, and from next year one of eleven. It’s an extremely privileged position. He got involved when Formula 1 was very different and has stayed with us through the difficult Covid years. Now he can really enjoy it.“
Gene Haas ”understands many details very well”
Komatsu reveals that team owner Haas is now much more involved than he was a few years ago. “He now understands many details very well,” emphasizes the team boss. “He has always been passionate about the sport and our results.”
“He always wants us to improve, and that’s exactly what we want from a team owner. He always stands behind us,” praises Komatsu. What’s more, the Formula 1 owner will be behind the wheel of the Haas VF-23 himself at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The team will be celebrating its tenth anniversary in the premier class there. “This is a very significant moment for us because we couldn’t do things like Goodwood in the past,” Komatsu recalls. “This year is the first time we’re running a program with a test car.”
The Japanese driver points out that Haas has never had its own “heritage team” before. “So for me, it’s another sign that we’re growing as a team. It’s great that we can take part in an event like Goodwood at such an important time in our team’s history.”
Haas “very excited” ahead of Goodwood debut
“It’s our tenth year, and we just competed in our 200th race in Montreal. So it fits together very well,” says the Japanese driver. “And I think that because we’ve never been there before, it’s all the more meaningful.”
It was also the Japanese team boss who convinced owner Gene Haas to take part in Goodwood. “I said, ‘Come on. You built all this, you supported us through everything. Now enjoy it too.’ When he was in Miami this year, I could tell he was really enjoying the atmosphere.”
“I approached him and said, ‘Gene, this is our celebration, your celebration. This is your team. Do you want to drive?’ I thought it would be a great opportunity for him to enjoy what he has created and supported for ten years.“ Haas was ”a little nervous,“ but then agreed.
Haas as ”an owner with great passion”
“He didn’t know much about Goodwood at first, but now that he’s driving, he’s read up on it and is very excited,” grins the Japanese man, who is happy for his boss. “It’s a new experience for him that adds another dimension to his life, isn’t it?”
Komatsu believes that driving his own car at Goodwood will be a very special moment. “He owns everything in this team. He’s not an institutional or private equity investor. He’s the owner, with a great passion for what we do.”
“Even though you don’t see him often, it’s nice that he can now experience this,” says the 49-year-old successor to Günther Steiner. To prepare Haas for the drive at Goodwood, a shakedown was already carried out on the smaller Stowe circuit at Silverstone.
Goodwood “a great moment” for Haas
“It was really impressive. We had several runs, and you could see that he was a little nervous at first, which was to be expected, but with each lap he became more confident. He accelerated more, had more fun, and you could see more and more smiles on his face.”
“At the end of the day, he was really relaxed and thanked everyone personally and shook their hands,” reports Haas team boss Komatsu. “That was very nice to see. Even internally, many people rarely see Gene. For them, it was something special.”
“You hear from me that Gene is a passionate person, but experiencing him like this was something else,” admits the Japanese. “I think he’ll love Goodwood. It will be a great moment for him and for the whole team.”
