After working for almost two decades as an engineer in F1, Ayao Komatsu got his big break in 2024 when he replaced Guenther Steiner as Haas’ team principal. Given his extensive experience working in almost every department, Komatsu has always had an edge over his subordinates, who cannot manipulate him.
The Japanese team principal spoke about this when the hosts of the Pelas Pistas podcast asked him how he leveraged his past engineering experience.
Firstly, Komatsu highlighted that he doesn’t tell his engineers what to do, as he trusts their instincts and understanding of responsibilities.
He would rather ask questions after listening to their perspective. On top of that, Komatsu also stated how his past engineering experience was deeply valued by colleagues and subordinates. “I think everyone knows that I used to do that job, so I’ve gained some respect, thankfully. So they know they can talk to me at any level,” he said.
The 48-year-old added that his door is always open for anyone who wishes to have a conversation with him about anything. That said, Komatsu also reminded, “They don’t need to deceive me, they cannot bulls**t me.”
.@EstebanGtz catches up with Chief Race Engineer Ayao Komatsu. #F1Testing #HaasF1 pic.twitter.com/E1FAtl8wyf
— MoneyGram Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) May 18, 2016
Having served as a tire engineer, performance engineer, race engineer, chief race engineer, and trackside engineering director, Komatsu’s understanding of the innate workings of each of these departments would be advantageous to him as well as his team.
That is because, if there is a need for him to step into a role on an interim basis, the Japanese engineer will be up for it without any issues.
When Komatsu’s race engineering experience came in handy for Haas
The discussion about Komatsu’s varied engineering experience also highlighted how he loved his past roles. Back when he used to be with the Lotus-Renault outfit, he served as a race engineer for four years between 2011 and 2014.
Komatsu was promoted to the role of chief race engineer in 2015. However, he revealed that he had wanted to work as a race engineer for nearly 10 years, as he loved the role. Nevertheless, Komatsu recognized that accepting the promotion was crucial for his future career growth.
Fast forward to 2021, when the Japanese engineer was working at Haas, the team needed his help to serve as a race engineer for Nikita Mazepin. Mazepin’s regular engineer was away as his wife was having a child. Komatsu stepped in as an interim race engineer for the Russian driver and naturally enjoyed assisting a car on the pit wall after seven years.
