Rob Smedley evaluated Haas’s form in Formula 1 and pointed out that the internal structure will prevent it from becoming a top team in the championship.
Read more F1: Data exposes Cadillac’s problem in the first half-year
The American team joined the grid in the 2016 season, heavily supported by the technical partnership with Ferrari. While the approach was to enter the pack in a more economical way, this contributed to a drop in performance mid-championship, as it tries to keep up with the development race.
Smedley then showed respect for Ayao Komatsu’s leadership but pointed out that Haas is limited by its business style. “They will never have that possibility with the current structure,” he said on the High Performance Racing podcast.
Read more F1: Berman laments Haas phase and says «I feel like I’m fighting with my hands tied behind my back»
“They will never have the possibility to be among the leaders,” he continued.
Jake Humprey, podcast host, added to the discussion that “Haas is the team I find most frustrating on the Formula 1 grid, the way they always seem to start with a fast car but don’t seem to develop it. Maybe they don’t have the resources or the capacity to develop the car.”
“I also love Ayao Komatsu’s management style and approach. I think Ollie Bearman is an exceptional driver and would love to see them further up the grid. Not Haas itself, but the people at Haas. I would like to see Komatsu in charge of a better-positioned team on the grid and I would like to see Ollie Bearman driving for a team fighting for the top positions,” he concluded.
