Haas Still Below F1 Budget Cap, Komatsu Admits

Ayao Komatsu says Haas still cannot afford to operate at Formula 1’s 2026 budget-cap limit of $215 million, leaving the team unable to match rivals in the development race even though he believes the people inside the organization are capable of much more.

Speaking at Spa-Francorchamps, the Haas team principal said reaching the cap is now one of his main priorities because, in his words, “that’s the baseline” a team must first be able to hit. The 2026 limit excludes the salaries of all drivers and the other top three highest earners, along with categories such as marketing costs, but Komatsu made clear Haas is still short of even that spending level.

That shortfall, he said, has shown up most clearly in the way Haas has fallen behind on development. Komatsu said the team has been “outdeveloped,” with points becoming scarcer, Q3 harder to reach and Haas going pointless in the last five grands prix as better-funded competitors moved ahead.

He insisted that is not a reflection of the team’s ability. Komatsu said Haas has capable staff and drivers, with “clear” communication and a “No-blame culture,” but added that he has not yet been able to give them “enough ammunition” to show what they can do. “It’s not fair on our guys,” he said. “It’s like they’re fighting with both hands tied.”

The contrast is sharper because Haas started the season far better than expected. Komatsu described that early form as “completely unexpected” and “not sustainable,” even after the team sat fourth in the constructors’ standings after the opening two grands prix, helped by Oliver Bearman finishing seventh in Melbourne and fifth in China.

For Komatsu, that makes the issue a management problem as much as a performance one. He said the funding gap is “more a reflection on my side,” adding that he needs to “get better revenue to this team and provide a better environment for our guys.” He said Haas has already been working on that and is having “some very good conversations,” but warned that fixing it will take time as the team tries to build back toward a more competitive development pace.