Team Principal Ayao Komatsu has shared his thoughts on Haas’s driver line-up for the 2027 F1 season and the factors they are taking into account ahead of the final selection.
Despite their strong start to the campaign, which saw Ollie Bearman secure a P5 finish at the Chinese GP, the Kannapolis-based outfit quickly faltered, leaving them to tumble down the order.
Having failed to finish in the top ten in the last 8 rounds, Haas currently sit seventh in the Constructors’ standings—just 4 points ahead of Audi.
While Bearman has scored 18 points so far in the 2026 F1 season, Esteban Ocon only has 3 to his name. The Frenchman faces a serious risk of losing his full-time Haas seat next year amid a performance deficit against his younger teammate and the ready availability of manufacturer-backed junior drivers.
Komatsu says performance is first criterion for selecting Haas F1 drivers in 2027
Speaking in a print media session after Saturday’s qualifying at Madring, Ayao Komatsu shed more light on whether individual talents or affiliations with manufacturers like Toyota, Ferrari, and McLaren will determine the Haas line-up for the 2027 F1 season.
Claiming that the American team always prioritises performance, the 50-year-old added that they factor in affiliations and sponsorships only when the prospects are closely matched in terms of on-track competitiveness.
“No, no, I’ve always, always said we take drivers by performance. So, performance comes absolutely first.
“If somebody’s two drivers got equal performance, affiliations or the packages they’ve got matters.
“We never take somebody who’s three tenths slower, but this guy’s got affiliations with either Toyota or Ferrari, or this guy’s got 5 million more. We’re not going to do that. So, it’s all about performance first.”
With regard to how many drivers are still in the frame, Komatsu was initially hesitant to provide a definitive answer.
“How many you got in the frame? How many you got? I don’t know, you tell me.”
Asked if they are considering at least two or three drivers, the Haas Team Principal responded, “I think still at one; I need to count it now.”
Acknowledging that they are fortunate to have multiple young talents interested in their project, Komatsu ultimately confirmed that five drivers are currently in contention for a full-time seat in 2027.
“I think we’re in a very fortunate situation. There’s so many drivers interested in us, really. So, five? Yeah.”
When secondary factors would come into play
Given that several drivers in the presumed shortlist are known to be very quick, Ayao Komatsu conceded that Haas would contemplate secondary factors, such as affiliation or commercial backing, before making the final decision for next year’s line-up if the performance gap is within a tenth.
“If it’s like within a tenth, for instance, very, very close, then affiliation or package does come into play for sure.”
When asked if he has a clear frontrunner in mind, the Japanese engineer said, “We haven’t finished the whole programme yet.”
In reference to F2 title contender Rafael Câmara being the likely choice for the second seat in 2027 and whether having two Ferrari-backed drivers would transform Haas into the Scuderia’s sister team in F1, Komatsu stated that the affiliation doesn’t matter as long as the drivers are rapid.
“Honestly, that doesn’t really matter to me at all. We really want two fast drivers because that’s the best way to grow this team. It doesn’t matter if it’s two Ferrari drivers or two Toyota drivers or two McLaren drivers.
“I mean, Leo Fornaroli, he’s a McLaren driver. But honestly, it doesn’t matter. Whoever is the fastest, that’s the best for the team.”
Komatsu on why it is crucial for Haas to have two fast drivers in 2027 F1 season
Ayao Komatsu also elaborated on why Haas are mulling over all the available options before confirming their F1 driver line-up for 2027. He explained that having two fast and efficient drivers who can deliver on the track is imperative to keep the rest of the team motivated.
“Again, like for everybody, 400 people working here, they need to know that we’ve got the best driver choice that we can get hold of so that this is the best two drivers that are getting the best out of the car.
“Imagine taking somebody half a second off for extra money. That’s not really very motivating.”
A team’s finishing position in the Constructors’ Championship directly dictates its slice of the sport’s multi-million-dollar prize pool. The battles in the midfield and at the bottom of the table are just as cutthroat as those at the top—possibly more so—given the very real impact those positions have on the following year’s budget.
Komatsu drew attention to how a strong pairing can help Haas finish higher in the championship table and reiterated that they will continue to select their drivers based primarily on performance.
“And also, one position in the championship, that’s quite a lot of money, right? For us, like I said, I’m staying consistent. I’ve always said we take drivers by performance, and that’s what we’re doing.”
