Ayao Komatsu, team principal of Haas F1, has shared that the team is progressing «positively» in talks with new sponsors, aiming to maximize its annual budget for 2027.
Haas, the smallest team on the Formula 1 grid, has a staff of around 400 employees and has operated below the budget cap in the last two seasons. Currently, the team has a sponsorship agreement with Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division, which has replaced MoneyGram as the main sponsor for this year. However, it is looking to expand its sponsor portfolio.
Recently, speculation has arisen that Haas may be in talks with BWT, the current main sponsor of Alpine, which is set to switch teams next year due to a new agreement with fashion brand Gucci. This relationship is not new; BWT had previously been linked to Haas after ending its agreement with Aston Martin.
In previous statements, Komatsu explained that the lack of budget had prevented an increase in staff and improvements to facilities. Now, his goal is to generate more revenue by attracting new partners. In a recent weekend at Madring, he provided an update, stating that the team is in talks with several potential partners to bring its budget closer to the limit of 215 million dollars.
«I am talking to various prospects; things are improving. I am optimistic about next year’s budget,» Komatsu commented. «It helps a lot. Slowly but surely, we are getting our story out there and finding wonderful people. So, for now, we are doing well.»
Regarding the rumors about BWT, he clarified, «We won’t have pink cars, if that’s what you mean!»
Komatsu also stressed that he is not looking for new drivers to compensate for the lack of budget, allowing the team to focus on selecting its driver lineup for 2027 based on their performance.
Ryo Hirakawa, Leonardo Fornaroli, and Rafael Camara have been testing with previous Haas cars while the team evaluates future drivers. Komatsu estimated that five drivers are in contention for a seat, including current driver Esteban Ocon and Yuki Tsunoda.
Komatsu added that if two drivers have very similar performances, commercial aspects could influence the decision, but he maintained that the choice is primarily based on performance. «We want two fast drivers because that’s the best way to grow the team,» he concluded.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
