Romain Grosjean lauds Ayao Komatsu for Haas revival: ‘The team is back to a better level’

Ex-F1 driver Romain Grosjean has hailed Ayao Komatsu for the job he’s done as Haas team principal in 2024.

Komatsu replaced Guenther Steiner at the start of 2024 in a shock move by Haas.

Under Komatsu’s leadership, Haas are on course for their best championship finish since 2018.

Prior to Alpine’s double-podium in Brazil, Haas sat sixth overall in the standings.

Grosjean, who raced for Haas between 2016 and 2020, heaped praise on Komatsu.

He told F1’s official website: “I’m so proud of Ayao and what he’s been doing with Haas, bringing the team back to a much better level – just making the most of it and working as he does.

“I was lucky to know before the official announcement [that Komatsu would become Haas’s team boss]; I got a text from Ayao.

“I told him that I was very proud of him, very proud of everything he’s done, and very happy for him.”

Grosjean joked the progress Haas have made under Komatsu “almost makes me feel like I want to race for them again”.

“Of course, I didn’t know how it was going to be turning out, but it’s fantastic. It almost makes me feel like I want to race for them again!” he added.

“No, you never know. It’s a different role, it’s a different approach, there’s also a bit of political games and media.

“I had no idea about that part. I knew he could set everything up [to succeed], but that part was the unknown, and he’s been doing really, really well.”