INTERVIEW: Ayao Komatsu on convincing Gene Haas to drive at FOS

Haas took a degree of convincing when asked by Team Principal Ayao Komatsu to not just attend Goodwood, but to participate as part of the team's tenth season celebrations, and those of the Festival of Speed to mark the 75^th anniversary of the Formula 1 World Championship.

It means Haas will get behind the wheel of the 2023 F1 car, the VF-23, and attempt the renowned Hillclimb, which is not for the faint-hearted.

Once Haas agreed to drive, quite naturally, preparations had to be put in place, resulting in both the entrepreneur and Komatsu taking to Silverstone's Stowe circuit to conduct several shakedown laps to get up to speed for a run-out at Goodwood on Friday.

As Komatsu puts it, taking part in Goodwood "is a big occasion" as, given the team's lack of resources, it has never before been able to showcase its cars at events like those this weekend.

"We couldn't do it before," said Komatsu. "This is the first year with a test car programme. We've never had that kind of heritage team before, so it's just evidence that we are growing as a team.

"And then it's very nice to be able to do events such as Goodwood at such a key point in our team's history. This is our tenth year. We just did our 200^th Grand Prix in Montréal, so it's very fitting.”

"The fact that we haven't been there before means it's even more significant, and for Gene, he's the founder and the sole owner of the team, so what a moment for him to drive his car. He owns everything in this team. He's not some sort of corporate or private equity investor. He owns the team, and he's so passionate about it.

"Sometimes you don't see him very often, so I think it's really good that, when I asked him in Miami, 'Gene, this is our celebration, your celebration, this is your team, will you drive?', he said, 'Yeah, I'll do it'. I could see he was a bit nervous, but I said to him it'd be really good for him to enjoy what he has created and after all of his support over the last ten years."

The shakedown was arranged for the Friday before the Austrian Grand Prix, 20^th June. Mercifully, the weather was good. Komatsu was suitably impressed seeing a man steeped in motorsport history genuinely enjoying the thrill of being behind the wheel of one of his own F1 cars.

"It was amazing to see," said Komatsu. "We did several outings, and, OK, he was a bit nervous to start with. You'd expect that. But every time he went out, you could see his confidence grow; he was getting on the power a bit more, and coming back with even more of a smile on his face, which was great. He was full of smiles."

"He thanked everyone individually, shaking their hand, which was great to see. For the people internally, who don't get to see Gene very often, for them to experience what I've told them, that Gene is a passionate guy, and for them to see he really is, was a great experience for them.

"So, racing at Goodwood, I think he will love it. It will be a great occasion for him and for everyone."

At the Festival of Speed, Haas will drive the VF-23, with Komatsu at the wheel of last year's VF-24, which he will also have had a taste of the day before, when he will be joined by former F1 driver, and the vice-chairman of Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe, Kazuki Nakajima, in the 2023 car.

On Saturday and Sunday, current F1 drivers Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon will alternate driving the VF-23 and VF-24.

Overall, these are exciting times for Haas. Although it is ninth in the Constructors' standings at the halfway stage of the current campaign, it could very easily finish sixth given the tight battle being waged between itself, Sauber, Racing Bulls, Aston Martin, and Alpine, in the lower half of the table.

The team appears to have emerged from its dark days of not so long ago, when Haas appeared disinterested and seemingly on the brink of selling up. Not anymore.

Komatsu has confirmed that Haas' love for F1 has been reignited of late, and he is now "so engaged," to such an extent that he "understands the details as well."

"He's always been very, very passionate about the sport and the result," said Komatsu. "He always wants us to improve, which is what we need from the owner. He is always behind us. I don't know everything, but I know in the last 18 months he has had numerous offers to buy the team, but he's not interested.

"He's very much enjoying being the owner of the F1 team currently, one of ten this year, one of 11 next, and that's such a privileged position to be in. He came in at a time when it wasn't like this now, and he stuck with us during the difficult Covid period, and now he's enjoying it."

Komatsu said it was part of the reason why he wanted Haas to drive at Goodwood, to enjoy a small part of the fruits of his labours over the years.

"When he came to Miami, I could see he was enjoying just being there," said Komatsu. "He always asks lots of technical questions because he's interested, and that didn't change, but then on top of that he was just enjoying the occasion.

"So that's when I thought I would ask him if he would drive at Goodwood. He didn't know much about Goodwood, but now he's driving, he's read about it, and he's really excited.

"For him to experience things like that, it adds another dimension to his life."

The 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed is underway! You can watch every moment of the action by watching our livestream.

Images courtesy of Getty Images.