While Haas boss Ayao Komatsu will set clear “rules of engagement” for Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman, this is a “completely different era” for the team compared to the Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin days.
And it is a good job too, as Komatsu quipped he would be “in trouble” if Haas followed the Schumacher and Mazepin blueprint with their new driver line-up.
Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin no ‘example’ for Haas
It will be a completely new look for Haas with a pair of driver changes made for F1 2025, Esteban Ocon having arrived from Alpine while Oliver Bearman makes the step up from Formula 2, following Nico Hulkenberg’s decision to swap Haas for Sauber with the American team moving Kevin Magnussen on for a clean slate.
Ocon is no stranger to flashpoints with an F1 team-mate, Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso and Pierre Gasly all having had their heated moments with the Frenchman, but Haas are not expecting, nor will they accept, any fireworks between Ocon and Bearman.
Komatsu confirmed that “the rules of engagement have to be totally clear from day one” between his new drivers, and as such, he does not “expect any team-mate contact and a DNF because of that”.
Arguably Haas’ most volatile driver pairing was their all-rookie line-up of Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin in 2021, a season in which no points were scored, but Komatsu stressed this “era” is long gone for the American outfit.
“I don’t think Nikita and Mick is any example to go by,” Komatsu quipped. “If you have to go back to that combination, basically I’m in trouble!
“If you look at how we operated last year, how we can improve the team, what we did good last year, what we could have improved last year, and then take that learning for this year, it’s a completely different era in terms of dynamics and drivers.
“Honestly, with Esteban and Ollie, they are two very, very good drivers. They have both got a lot more to prove. I think we have got a very good combination and I’m really looking forward to it.”
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To that point of Haas being in a “completely different era”, the team is expecting to hit a major milestone in F1 2025, that being growing their budget to cost cap level for the first time, off the back of a P7 finish in the F1 2024 Constructors’ Championship.
“This year is the first time that, I think, as a company, Gene [Haas] doesn’t have to put his money in, so it’s great,” Komatsu revealed to media including PlanetF1.com.
“We haven’t been hitting budget cap, [but] we are hitting the budget cap this year, so we’ve got a whole different challenge of making sure we stay within the budget cap.
“Before, because we are under the budget cap, if we had money, we could spend it, if you like, without worrying about it – but now we have to think about making sure we stay within the budget cap and [be] efficient. The things we can exclude, we need to exclude, etc.
“That’s a whole different mindset. But again, if you want to be competitive, that’s [the] minimum where you should be, right?
“So finally, I feel like we’re ticking many boxes, like we started doing TPC [testing], be on the budget cap and being basically profitable, if you like.
“So, with all the prize money from last year, sponsorship money, etc, etc, this year, Gene shouldn’t have to put his money in, which is great.”
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