Haas has quite literally turned its fortunes around in 2024 and is set to achieve a financial goal in 2025 under the ownership of Gene, and led by Ayao Komatsu. The Moneygram Haas F1 team joined the sport in 2016 and has spent the past decade steadily climbing the ranks, often under the radar.
For the first time in its history, Haas F1 team will be financially self-sufficient in 2025, with no need for owner Gene Haas to dip into his own pockets. Team principal Ayao Komatsu has confirmed this speaking to the Racer and other media outlets, sharing that the recent commercial success for Haas now allows them to reach the budget cap without needing funding from the owner.
“This year is the first time that as a company, Gene [Haas] doesn’t have to put his own money in,” said Komatsu. “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.”
The American outfit made a huge leap forward in 2024. They finished 7th in the Constructors’ Championship, earning £66 million in prize money, a massive jump from the £47 million they received for 10th place in 2023.
Ayao Komatsu: Top priority is to stay within the budget cap
Komatsu, who joined the Haas F1 team in January 2024, has been a key figure in reshaping the team’s approach. The team is set to make some key changes going into 2025. “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,” he explained.
The 48-year-old stated that managing the budget cap is now Haas’ main priority. He said, “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.”
Haas has bolstered its finances with new sponsorships. A multi-year deal with Toyota Gazoo Racing marks Toyota’s F1 return since 2009. Starting in 2025, American insurer Orion180 will feature on Haas cars and team apparel.
Ayao Komatsu is proud of the progress made by Haas. “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,” he said.
Haas will rely on Ferrari for components and will continue to be for the foreseeable future
The team operates with a lean workforce of 330 people, the smallest on the grid. To stay competitive, the team relies heavily on its technical partnership with Ferrari, outsourcing key components like power units, gearboxes, and suspension.
“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,” Komatsu said.
The Japanese engineer explained that, despite the notional value deficiency, Haas’ current capabilities and resources make it the best approach for the foreseeable future, at least for the next few years. He emphasized that outsourcing remains the best model for Haas.
The team principal said: “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.”
As Gene Haas and his squad enters its 10th season in Formula 1, they have momentum on their side. With Komatsu at the helm, the team is poised to build on its success and aim even higher in 2025.
