Haas on 2026 F1 rules reset: 'No team is fully equipped to tackle it'

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu believes no Formula 1 team will be fully equipped to tackle the 2026 regulations reset, as he opened up on the challenges of building a completely new car as the championship’s “smallest team”.

With sweeping changes to both aerodynamics and power units, Komatsu admitted the American squad, which launched its 2026 season on Monday, has been navigating the most challenging pre-season in its history.

“I would say so, especially for our size,” Komatsu said. ” The new regulations mean it’s financially challenging and regarding resources, everyone knows we’re still the smallest team.

“I don’t think any team, even the biggest, is going to say they’re fully equipped to tackle this. However, for us, the challenge is bigger. We need to focus on what we’ve got, what we’re good at, recognise our weaknesses but play to our strengths, and continue learning.”

Technical director Andrea De Zordo explained that while some visible changes – smaller bodywork, new front and rear wings, and the addition of a small board ahead of the floor stand out – the true revolution is hidden in how the power unit splits energy between the internal combustion engine and electrical components.

“It’s a monumental change and one that will impact the way we go racing,” he said.

The shift in energy management, combined with new movable aerodynamic elements that can be deployed at the driver’s discretion, makes 2026 less a season of incremental gains and more a test of adaptability and understanding.

Managing the development of two cars simultaneously has been a central challenge for Haas.

De Zordo revealed that work on the VF-26 began in earnest in the latter half of 2024, initially with a small group focused on concept studies, before the team gradually shifted resources after the summer break last year.

“We had a small group still working on the VF-25 until pretty late on due to the tight championship fight,” he said.

From dummy chassis tests and homologation to front wing lab testing and first simulator assessments, the team has already endured what De Zordo describes as a marathon of preparation.

“When we think we’re at the end of it, I suspect it will just be the beginning,” he reflected.

For a team operating with limited resources, each milestone carries disproportionate weight: small delays or errors could compound into significant setbacks.

De Zordo said that the new regulations, shifting the balance between aerodynamics and energy management, make an initial understanding of the power unit critical.

“Initially with the PU, as it’s all so new, there is – not necessarily more to gain, but a lot more to lose if you don’t do well. To understand how it works and how to maximise that will probably be the most important part,” De Zordo said.

For Haas, a team with fewer engineers than most rivals, the margin for error is smaller, placing additional pressure on efficient learning.

Komatsu emphasised that 2026 is not just about technical adaptation but also about mindset. The team has grown steadily in recent years, both in size and in operational maturity, but this season represents a quantum leap in complexity.