One F1 team principal hailed for game-changing leadership at Chinese GP

One Formula 1 team went under-the-radar with a superb points haul at last weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix.

Both Haas drivers finished in the points at the Shanghai International Circuit to strike a blow to their midfield rivals.

It was perhaps a surprise result given Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman were the last two finishers a week earlier at the Australian Grand Prix.

But their team principal has been hailed for his role in turning their fortunes around.

“Ayao Komatsu conducts himself so well,” Alex Jacques told the F1 Nation podcast.

“They turn up, from Bahrain pre-season testing, and they found a performance problem that they didn’t know they’d have.

“There is no panic, no drama.

“Esteban Ocon said they didn’t do a lot of sleeping or eating. They did a lot of work.

“They solved the problem and got both cars into the points. That is a ringing endorsement of the leadership of that team after a pretty embarrassing Race 1.”

Ollie Bearman F1 progress hailed

Ocon finished fifth in China, and Bearman was eighth.

“Strategy-wise they both opted for a one-stop,” Laura Winter analysed.

“They had a decent start by Bearman on the hard tyre. Then he managed a medium tyre for nearly 30 laps to bring it home.

“We saw how they were in testing - not running a programme where we could see the extent of the car. We thought: ‘They have got to come out swinging in Australia’.

“But they were nowhere in Australia.

“It’s great in terms of the midfield battle that another team has entered the Q3 chat and is knocking on the door for points.

“Let’s not forget that Racing Bulls committed way too soon to a two-stop then had a front wing failure for Yuki Tsunoda. He had to be pitted for a third time.

“They didn’t get it right. They may have been up there if they got it right.

“But Haas got it right. They may have turned a corner.”

The season-opening Australian Grand Prix tested every driver with its wet conditions.

Isack Hadjar had a nightmare F1 debut by crashing out on the formation lap.

Although Bearman had his iffy moments through the weekend, bringing his car home now looks to be a respectable result.

“Albert Park is really quick these days,” Jacques said.

“When you’ve barely had any starts in F1? To roll out the pits and stick it into the gravel would have been all his nightmares coming at once.

“I loved his confidence with the divebomb moves at Turn 14. I loved the confidence on the radio with ‘ciao’.

“He wasn’t blown off course. The same applies for Isack Hadjar. They are resilient - and they need to be.”

Winter added: “Ollie completing the Australian Grand Prix in torrid conditions, which saw Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz crash out, was really important for his weekend.

“He smiled at me and said hello, it wasn’t the sign of a man who had a bad weekend.

“He got useful data under his belt and his team’s belt.

“He knows he can get the job done at tough tracks, in Jeddah and Baku. That’s what surprised me in Australia with the mistakes he was making.”