Haas owner Gene Haas does not have to subsidize his Formula 1 team for the first time this year as it hits the budget cap, according to team principal Ayao Komatsu.
The American team joined the grid in 2016 and is about to enter its tenth season, coming off the back of a strong 2024 when it finished seventh in the constructors’ championship. Komatsu says the commercial gains that have been made in recent years have finally put the team in a position where it is able to operate at the budget cap without its owner’s funding.
“This year is the first time that as a company, Gene doesn’t have to put his own money in,” Komatsu said. “We haven’t been hitting the budget cap, we are hitting it this year. So we have a different challenge of making sure we stay within the budget cap.
“It’s great that we finally got here, but in terms of mindset, it’s the same thing – like trackside engineering, we really had to change the mindset of everyone, what is acceptable and what we have to strive for.
“It’s the same with this budget thing. Before, if we were under the budget cap, if we had money, we could spend it without worrying about it. Now we have to make sure we stay within the budget cap. So it’s a whole different mindset. But if you want to be competitive, that’s minimum where you should be.
“So, finally, it feels like we’re ticking many boxes – start doing TPC, be on the budget cap and being profitable. With the prize money from last year, sponsorship money etc, this year, Gene shouldn’t have to put his money in. It’s the first time.”
As the smallest team on the grid with roughly 330 personnel, Komatsu acknowledges there must be areas Haas is comfortably outspending rivals given its lower wage bill – such as through outsourcing of parts and car build – but for now those represent the best structure for the team in its current guise.
“Some of it is obvious, right? Maranello and also the external manufacturing, etc. But we made some improvement last year. We are making more improvements this year, so we’ve got to be more efficient.
“All those notional values (are set). But at the moment, let’s say for the foreseeable future – when I say foreseeable future, like next few years at least – even with the notional value deficiency, with the capabilities and resource we have got, that’s the best way to go.
“It’s much better to pay for that extra money deducted from the budget cap limit and buy components from Ferrari. That side of the model, I don’t think it’s an issue at all, whereas there’s some other part of the business that’s inefficient, both in terms of time and then cost. So we’re looking at that.”
