Haas Team Principal: Bodywork Issues Will Be Fixed Before Melbourne Grand Prix

Haas Team Principal: Bodywork Issues Will Be Fixed Before Melbourne Grand Prix

By Michael Harrison

March 6, 2025 at 02:00 AM

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has expressed confidence that the team will resolve its bodywork issues before the Australian Grand Prix, acknowledging that the team was "too aggressive" with its 2025 design approach.

IndyCar racing on track

IndyCar racing on track

The team encountered two significant bodywork failures: during a Silverstone filming day where Esteban Ocon lost his right sidepod cover, and during pre-season testing when Oliver Bearman's left engine cover detached. These incidents were direct results of the aggressive design choices made for the VF-25 car.

"We were too aggressive, we know the reason why," Komatsu explained. "We will fix it for Melbourne. The modification we made compared to last year was just too aggressive."

The timing of these issues has been particularly problematic, as the team had limited pre-season testing time to prepare their two new drivers. The bodywork problems significantly impacted testing, with Bearman losing approximately 75% of one morning session due to the car not being in a representative state.

Despite these setbacks, Komatsu remains optimistic about Haas's competitive position, suggesting they are "in the ballpark" to compete with Williams and Alpine in the midfield battle. He noted, "I think we are in the fight. It's so tight... but at least we are in the mixture somewhere."

The team is now focused on implementing necessary fixes before the Australian Grand Prix, with Komatsu expressing "full confidence" in their ability to resolve these issues in time for Melbourne.

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