Former Haas F1 driver Romain Grosjean has expressed his delight at the appointment of Ayao Komatsu as the US outfit’s new team principal but insists his ex-race engineer is facing a “huge challenge”.
Komatsu follows in the footsteps of former long-standing Haas team boss Guenther Steiner who had been at the helm of the team since its arrival in F1 in 2016.
However, a mediocre 2023 campaign decided team owner Gene Haas to part ways with Steiner and start afresh.
Komatsu, who previously served as Grosjean's race engineer at Lotus and who followed the Frenchman to Haas in 2016, has been a key figure at the team over the past eight seasons.
Komatsu's elevation to the team principal role marks a significant advancement in his career, recognizing his extensive experience and expertise in the sport.
The 47-year-old Japanese engineer’s appointment signals a new era for Haas, with the team now poised to embark on a fresh chapter under his leadership.
“I saw the news as most of us, so I’m very happy for Komatsu,” commented Grosjean during an IndyCar media day.
“First of all, he's a very good friend of mine. I competed at every of my 181 Formula 1 (races) with him working on my car somehow.
Grosjean, who formed a strong working relationship with Komatsu during their time together at Lotus, has expressed his confidence in the Japanese engineer's abilities to steer Haas towards success, although he isn’t anticipating an easy road ahead.
“His kids are the same age as my kids, so we've been very good friends, and I'm excited for him,” he added.
“It's a huge challenge in front of him, so I'm excited for him.
“I don't know what happened. I don't know more details than you do, but I wish Guenther all the best in his next chapter.
“He's definitely a man that's got a lot of ideas and things to do, but for me the main thing is I’m very happy for Ayao.”
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