Haas boss Komatsu admits team is 'fighting with both hands tied' by F1 budget gap

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has admitted his squad is currently unable to spend up to Formula 1’s $215m budget cap, describing the team’s financial position as “fighting with both hands tied” compared to wealthier rivals.

Speaking at Spa-Francorchamps, Komatsu said securing greater funding is now among his top priorities. “It’s one of the top priorities on my job list to be able to fund this team so that we can operate at the budget cap,” he said. “Because that’s the baseline, right? We should be achieving that first step.”

The gap in resources is stark. Haas operates with a headcount of approximately 400 people, while several rival outfits employ more than 1,000 staff. Komatsu was clear that the team’s recent struggles in the development race reflect that financial reality rather than any failing from his personnel.

“I’m not, so far, able to give them enough ammunition for our guys to show what they’re capable of,” he said. “It’s not a reflection of our guys — it’s more a reflection on my side. I need to be able to get better revenue to this team and provide a better environment for our guys.”

The comments come after a sharp contrast in Haas’s 2025 fortunes. The team made a remarkable start to the season, sitting fourth in the constructors’ standings after the opening two grands prix, driven largely by Oliver Bearman’s strong performances — the British driver finished seventh in Melbourne and fifth in China. Since then, however, Haas has failed to score a point in five consecutive races, with Q3 appearances becoming increasingly rare as rivals have developed their cars at a faster rate.

Komatsu remained optimistic that the underlying talent within the team is capable of delivering results once the financial environment improves. “We’ve got the guys to do it. We’ve got the drivers to do it. So I’m sure we can come back,” he said.

The F1 budget cap for 2026 is set at $215m, a figure that excludes driver salaries, the three other highest-paid staff members at each team, and marketing costs. For a team of Haas’s size, simply reaching that ceiling — rather than staying beneath it — represents the immediate ambition.