Haas F1 Team has emerged as a strong midfield contender after impressive results in Australia and China. Team principal Ayao Komatsu highlighted their pace in Shanghai, where they outperformed Red Bull on merit. The team sits fourth in the constructors' standings with 17 points from the first two races.
Haas F1 Team principal Ayao Komatsu praised the team's performance following the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. After finishing seventh in the Australian opener, Oliver Bearman reached Q3 qualifying and started tenth in China, ultimately securing fifth place as the best non-Mercedes or Ferrari finisher while McLaren and Red Bull encountered issues. Bearman led Max Verstappen by about 2.5 seconds for several laps, showcasing Haas's race pace despite Red Bull's graining problems. Komatsu stated, “We beat Red Bull on merit today, so we were the fourth fastest team today, which is incredible. The unfortunate thing for McLaren was that they couldn't take the race. We were there to take the benefit, so we just maximised everything. I’m just so happy.” He emphasized focusing on basics and reliability early in the season, noting, “It's incredible. I always said we have to focus on the basics and we have to maximise everything.” Haas outperformed expectations from winter testing in Bahrain, where they led the midfield alongside Alpine. In Shanghai, they held a 20-second advantage over Liam Lawson in the midfield. Komatsu added, “To be honest, this looks even better than Bahrain... we’ve beaten them [Alpine] on merit.” A pitstop issue for Esteban Ocon prevented a potential double points finish. With 17 points from two races, Haas occupies fourth in the constructors' championship, ahead of Red Bull.