Haas F1 Team founder Gene Haas made his first official public appearance behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car on Friday at Goodwood’s Festival of Speed, steering his outfit’s 2023 VF-23 up the famous hill as part of a special celebration marking the team’s 10th anniversary in the sport.
The 72-year-old American entrepreneur’s runs were less about burning rubber and more about surviving the snug cockpit and a dizzying array of buttons. But for Haas, it was a memorable, if leisurely, cruise up the hill.
The outing at Goodwood was only Haas’ second time ever in a Formula 1 car, following a brief shakedown at Silverstone’s Stowe circuit last month to prepare for the event.
Reflecting on the experience, Haas admitted it wasn’t something he initially sought out.
“When Ayao first asked me about driving here at Goodwood, it seemed like an awful lot of work just for an excursion up a hill,” Haas said on Friday.
“I didn’t know about the Festival of Speed beforehand, honestly, but it was intriguing to me – and now I understand why so many fans come here.”
©Haas
Haas was struck by the scale and diversity of the event, which brings together motorsport machinery and drivers across multiple eras.
“It’s the event to see so many different cars – old and new, not only Formula 1 cars – so it really does offer fans a chance to see cars they’ve only seen on TV or in the movies,” he added.
“I’m liking the cars from the ‘40s and ‘50s because it’s amazing that those teams made cars that went 150 mph with the basic tools they had compared to now.”
A Tight Fit
Haas admitted that fitting his large frame in the VF-23’s tight environment left him with no room to spare.
“My first impression of being in a Formula 1 car was that it’s very tight in there,” he said.
“There are a lot of nuances you have to learn – the clutch, the shifting – there are a million things going on. But the hardest thing is trying to drive a very fast car at a very slow speed.”
©Haas
Reflecting on his team’s decade in F1, where they’ve clung to the grid with a lean Ferrari-powered setup while others crashed and burned, Haas got a bit nostalgic.
“We’re still the new guys on the block,” he said, eyeing the vintage cars around him. “So I’m really impressed when you look here at the legacy of all the old cars.
“You see the names, and some of the people aren’t even here anymore. That’s very impressive – and hopefully, our name will start to go into history too.”
Haas Team Boss Komatsu’s Masterplan
The mastermind behind Gene Haas daring run up the hill was Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu, who practically had to sweet-talk Haas into the cockpit like a parent coaxing a kid onto a rollercoaster.
Komatsu, who also took a spin in the 2024 VF-24 (because why should Gene have all the fun?), saw Goodwood as the perfect stage for a milestone moment.
©Haas
“The fact that we hadn’t been to Goodwood before made it even more special,” Komatsu said. “And for Gene – the founder and sole owner of the team – what a moment to drive his own car.
“He owns everything. He’s not a corporate investor or a private equity guy. He’s the owner, and he’s incredibly passionate.”
Komatsu spilled the beans on how he sealed the deal in Miami.
“Sometimes you don’t see him very often, so I thought it would be good for him to enjoy what he’s created. When I asked him in Miami, ‘Gene, this is your celebration. Will you drive?’ he said, ‘Yeah, I’ll do it.’
“I could see he was a bit nervous, but I said to him: it’s time to enjoy what you’ve built, after everything you’ve given over the past ten years.”
Nervous or not, Haas survived the hill without needing a tow, which is more than some F1 rookies can say.
Toyota’s Kazuki Nakajima also drove the VF-23 on Friday, while Haas’ actual race drivers, Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon, showed off their skills over the weekend – at speeds that didn’t make spectators check their watches.
For Gene Haas, the day was less about setting records and more about soaking in the absurdity of driving a million-dollar machine up a hill at granny-gear pace. As he put it, it’s all about the journey – and maybe a few laughs along the way.
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