P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Haas Formula 1 boss Ayao Komatsu has defended his choice to reduce the team’s expectations for 2024 amid recent criticism
Haas had a disappointing position in the Constructors’ Championship last season but is now performing better in the current campaign, scoring points in multiple races. There is a close battle with RB for sixth place in the standings. Komatsu, who took over as team principal, had initially expected Haas to struggle due to starting on the back foot. Steiner disagreed with this negative outlook, highlighting positive data from the VF-24. Komatsu was cautious about Haas’ progress due to uncertainties about rivals’ advancements over the winter. He aimed to manage expectations internally to keep the team motivated, despite facing challenges in car performance. Despite focusing on solving degradation issues in testing, Komatsu remained optimistic that Haas could compete with a few other teams, even if the actual on-track performance differed from expectations.
