Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu is eager to leave the Monaco Grand Prix weekend behind, after both cars were disqualified from qualifying and had to start from the back of the grid.
Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu is eager to move on from a disastrous Monaco Grand Prix weekend, where both cars were disqualified from qualifying and started at the back of the grid. The race went from bad to worse when both Haas cars collided with Sergio Perez’s Red Bull, resulting in significant damage and a hefty repair bill for both teams.
In the current cost cap era, any damage is unfortunate, but sustaining hits to both cars will undoubtedly affect Haas’s ability to roll out upgrades on schedule. This setback comes at a crucial time, with Williams and Alpine closing the gap to Haas in the constructors’ standings after scoring points in Monaco, while Red Bull extended their lead thanks to Yuki Tsunoda’s eighth-place finish.
“Starting from P19 and P20, we had an alternative strategy to try and salvage something, but our race ended on lap one,” Komatsu said. “It’s been a Sunday to forget. We need to learn from this weekend and focus on getting a good result in Canada.”
Kevin Magnussen, who initiated the crash by attempting to squeeze past Perez at the first corner, was more direct in his assessment. The stewards ruled it a racing incident, sparing Magnussen from penalty points or a race ban, but the outcome was still disheartening.
“It’s frustrating. A crash like this is costly for the team in terms of spare parts and making new components, not to mention the workload it creates,” Magnussen stated. “It’s just never good.”
With a 10-day window before the Canadian Grand Prix, Haas has limited time to repair their cars. The extent of the damage to the engines or chassis remains uncertain, and both drivers may lose a gearbox from their pool, which could have future implications.
Considering the cost cap, the redistribution of work, potential delays to upgrades, and the damage to key components, Monaco was a nightmare for a team that had started the season with promise. Haas now faces a critical period to regroup and recover.
