Motor racing-New Haas boss addressing 'elephants in the room', says Magnussen

Komatsu

08/02/2024 22:34

By Alan Baldwin
       LONDON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Danish driver Kevin Magnussen
said he is excited to see real change at Haas after Japanese
engineer Ayao Komatsu replaced Guenther Steiner last month as
principal of the Formula One team.
    Italian Steiner, a larger than life character who became an
unintentional star of the Netflix 'Drive to Survive'
docu-series, left the U.S.-owned team when his contract was not
renewed at the end of last year.
    Ferrari-powered Haas finished last of the 10 teams over the
22-race season. 
    "I love Guenther, I've had a great relationship with (him)
in the time I've been with Haas but it's also exciting to see
some change. Some real change," Magnussen told reporters at a
pre-season event organised by team title sponsor Moneygram on
Thursday.
    "I think it's great that Ayao is already addressing some of
the elephants in the room, like our trajectory on development
for a season just hasn't been good...it's certainly very
exciting times for us in Haas."
    Komatsu, appearing with Magnussen and team mate Nico
Hulkenberg at the new F1 Drive kart track inside London's
Tottenham Hotspur stadium, last week gave a blunt assessment of
the task ahead.
    He said he expected Haas to remain towards the back of the
grid, if not last, in the opening races because an upgrade
introduced last year had diverted resources and cost two month's
work on this year's car.
    Komatsu said on Thursday he was focused on setting a clear
strategy and revealed that the team's target for 2024 was to
finish eighth.
    "We made some changes in the organisational structures and
we made some changes in promoting certain people internally for
key positions," he added.
    "I'm optimistic in the sense that there's a lot we can do."
    Komatsu said he was an accidental boss rather than someone
who had always wanted the role, and would not try and be like
Steiner or replace him as a character.
    "I was really happy running a car," he said of his start as
a race engineer. "Then an opportunity came up after four years
and I became chief race engineer. Then again I came to Haas.
    "Was I looking for a new team? No. But then I came to speak
with Guenther, I really liked his vision and what he told me and
so I decided OK I'm going to take this challenge... it's not
like I wanted to become principal, replacing Guenther. No way."
    "(Owner) Gene (Haas) made his decision. OK, I know the team
very well, lots of ideas, I know people are good, so why not
give it a go?"       

 (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
 ((alan.baldwin@thomsonreuters.com; +442075427933;))