Haas arrives at Monza for the 2026 F1 Italian GP to make up for a costly setback following a double DNF at the Dutch GP.
The American-owned outfit is eyeing valuable performance gains by bringing a major upgrade package to the VF-26, repositioning itself as a contender in the highly anticipated midfield battle where they currently sit seventh with 21 points. After a hugely promising start to 2026, they have been massively outdeveloped by other teams with bigger resources.
Both Haas drivers endured a miserable weekend in Zandvoort after Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon were forced to retire from the Grand Prix due to power unit issues. Bearman’s car came to a standstill during the formation lap after the race restart, while Ocon’s race ended during the second half on Lap 55.
Komatsu’s focus remains on finding performance at the 2026 Italian GP
Team Principal Ayao Komatsu is ready to leave the past in the past, stating that the team will take the positive aspects of their operations from Zandvoort and apply them to their Monza weekend.
Komatsu also looks ahead to welcoming Haas’ team members to the Temple of Speed as they gear up to leave a frustrating weekend and focus on maximising the newest upgrades.
“The Italian Grand Prix is always a special one for us with our design office located in Maranello, Italy. We take the opportunity to welcome many of our teammates to Monza and have them experience what they are working for every day, and enjoy the atmosphere, which is truly special. We’ll be arriving in Italy keen to put a frustrating weekend in Zandvoort firmly behind us.”
The new package gives Haas a new opportunity to address the performance deficit that has emerged as F1’s midfield battle reaches a pivotal point, with the Italian GP providing an immediate opportunity to assess another significant package of updates.
“There were positives for sure operationally, but ultimately, we were still looking to find more performance from the VF-26. This weekend, we’re bringing another upgrade package to the car, so again, it’s critical we maximize our practice time, evaluate our data comprehensively, and strive to keep pushing in the midfield.“
Furthermore, the second half of the season places extra pressure on the team to accumulate as many points as they can to compete with other midfield teams.
“The races in the second half of the season come thick and fast – which is great – but it’s a challenge for sure. We showed last year that we can continue to find performance deep into the season, and that’s our continued focus.”
Bearman ready to tackle the ‘Temple of Speed’ after DNF
Ollie Bearman is not only a driver for Haas, but also a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy and racing in the home of the Tifosi presents him with a chance to do well in what feels like a second home.
After experiencing disappointment in the Netherlands, the 21-year-old expressed his eagerness to get back behind the wheel “straightaway,” believing that the new components could provide Haas with a significant improvement that can push the VF-26 into a more competitive place.
“When you don’t finish a race, you naturally want to jump back into the car straightaway and get back to business, but this weekend I’m also excited to drive as we’re bringing updates that hopefully add a big chunk of performance to the car. The European leg of this season has been a challenging one for us, so I really want to leave here optimistic for the rest of the season. The ‘Temple of Speed’ is one of my favorites, racing through Parabolica and Ascari, as you feel like you’re literally racing on history. Away from track, the tifosi absolutely bring the atmosphere, and as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, I’m very lucky to get to feel some of that love.”
Ocon looking to replicate the ease of Budapest and Zandvoort at the Italian GP
For Esteban Ocon, the objective remains similar to his teammate: build on the confidence he has developed in the car and extract the maximum from the new parts from Friday until Sunday.
The Frenchman felt that Budapest and Zandvoort had delivered encouraging signs on a personal level despite the VF-26 being unable to convert that into a strong result in the Netherlands. He now wants to carry that form into a weekend where the team has a substantially revised car to evaluate.
“The whole team has been looking forward to this race for some time now, for a few reasons. Firstly, because we have our design office in Italy, and it’s a great opportunity to work with the team there and for them to see their hard work on track. Secondly, we’re bringing a comprehensive list of updates to Monza, which are focused on bringing us back to our competitors in the midfield. Budapest and Zandvoort were positive on my side in that I felt comfortable in the car and we really got the most out of the package we had. So, I’d like to carry on that trend and extract the most out of these updates from day one and get back in the fight for points.”
