The 2026 season of Formula 1 has reached its first half, and it is time to analyze the performance of the teams. On this occasion, we focus our attention on Haas, which started strong but has seen its competitiveness diminish against its mid-field rivals.
Haas is currently in seventh place in the constructors’ standings, having scored 21 points. This result, while better than Audi and Williams, leaves them far from Racing Bulls and Alpine. Unfortunately, the progression of the team has been negative, and under intensive development conditions, their rating has dropped to a C-.
Positive Aspects
Despite being the smallest on the grid, Haas has shown surprising ability to adapt to the regulatory changes of 2026. Their car, the VF-26, has been well-built, which is notable considering the limited resources of the team.
In the early races, Haas, with driver Oliver Bearman, showed competitive performance, especially standing out in the Melbourne and China races, where they achieved a fifth place, even surpassing Red Bull. This allowed them to accumulate 18 points over the first three races, flipping expectations for the season.
Negative Aspects
However, as the season has progressed, the team has been unable to keep pace with the development of its competitors. Significant improvements from teams like Racing Bulls have left Haas relegated, with their best position in the last races limited to twelfth at Silverstone.
Moreover, the team has faced an additional problem, as all points scored so far have come from Olivier Bearman. His teammate, Esteban Ocon, has gone through a difficult phase in his career, complicating the assessment of his performance due to inconsistency in the quality of the VF-26 parts.
Comments from the Team Principal
Ayao Komatsu, the team principal of Haas, commented: ‘The beginning of the season was impressive in several aspects such as reliability and performance. However, after the April break, we have regressed in terms of development. Our technicians are working extremely well, given the limitations of our structure, but a better environment is needed to maximize their potential.’
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
