Komatsu gives update on Haas' driver plans for 2027

Here's the thing about running the smallest outfit on the grid: when the biggest regulation change ever hits, reality has a nasty habit of catching up to you very quickly. That is precisely where Ayao Komatsu and his squad find themselves right now. While neither seat is locked in for 2027—with Ollie Bearman understood to be more likely to stay than Esteban Ocon, and names like Rafael Camara and Yuki Tsunoda waiting in the wings—the Team Principal is refusing to panic or rush into any decisions ahead of schedule.

Speaking before the Dutch Grand Prix, where the team ultimately suffered a brutal double DNF, Komatsu made their immediate priorities crystal clear. “We’re not in any rush,” he stated. “We’re focused on our two drivers, Ollie and Esteban, trying to get the best out of them. They’ve got the tough challenge, right?” It is a sensible stance, especially when you consider what these machines are capable of in the right window. As Komatsu pointed out, Bearman has shown his speed repeatedly, while Ocon can fly when he is actually happy with the car beneath him.

Unfortunately, keeping both drivers happy has turned into an uphill battle. It has been a genuinely frustrating campaign for the team, opening with a stunning P5 finish for Bearman at the Chinese Grand Prix before tumbling backward down the order. They are now sitting on a miserable run of six rounds without a single point. Bearman has scraped together 18 points while Ocon languishes on three, though Bearman himself admitted the standings do not tell the whole story due to an apparent inconsistency between the parts bolted onto their cars.

Komatsu concedes that the development race has completely chewed them up. Compared to 2025, Haas has fallen significantly behind midfield rivals like Alpine and Racing Bulls as those outfits pump out upgrades faster than the tiny American squad can match. “We started the season extremely well, much better than anyone can think of, and then from that moment I think that’s the reality,” Komatsu explained, pointing out that everything has to run with absolute perfection for them to keep pace with the big boys—a luxury no team gets all the time.