As Formula 1's 2026 car launch season begins, Haas is set to unveil its new machine online on Monday, following Red Bull and Racing Bulls' reveals in Detroit. The American team has deepened its ties with Toyota, becoming the TGR Haas F1 Team, while facing ongoing challenges from larger rivals. Under team principal Ayao Komatsu, Haas aims to build on recent progress with drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman.
What's new at Haas?
Haas has strengthened its technical partnership with Toyota, signed in 2024, which has brought key benefits like developing a dedicated driver in-loop simulator at its Banbury factory. Previously, the team relied on Ferrari's facilities in Maranello due to its power unit deal. The partnership also introduced reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa, a two-time World Endurance Championship winner with Toyota, who participated in four FP1 sessions in 2025.
Components from Toyota are now covered under sponsorship funds, reducing costs compared to buying from Dallara or Ferrari. In return, Toyota gains F1 experience for its engineers without entering the grid directly. For 2026, Haas rebrands as the TGR (Toyota Gazoo Racing) Haas F1 Team, with Toyota overseeing the 'Testing of a Previous Car' programme. This ends MoneyGram's title sponsorship, which began in 2023.
Challenges ahead
Despite these gains, Haas struggles against teams like Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari, which have superior facilities and larger workforces. Becoming a race-winning outfit remains difficult without long-term development. The team's pitwall expanded from three to six members for 2025, but efficiency with limited funding persists as a core issue.
Komatsu's leadership
Ayao Komatsu, team principal since 2024, replaced Gunther Steiner, who led Haas from its 2016 debut—including a fifth-place finish in 2018—but saw the team finish last in two of the three prior seasons. Komatsu, formerly trackside engineering director, lifted Haas to seventh in 2024 by maximizing resources and improving owner Gene Haas's understanding of success needs.
In 2025, new drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman delivered Haas's highest points since 2018, highlighted by Bearman's fourth in Mexico. The team ended eighth, scoring 21 more points than 2024 in a tougher field, with results including sixth in Brazil and the Netherlands, and fifth in China.
Goals for 2026
Given its scale, Haas targets consistent points-scoring with Ocon and Bearman, ensuring a competitive car to sustain momentum.