Haas heads to the Canadian Grand Prix determined to reignite its 2026 Formula 1 campaign, with team principal Ayao Komatsu viewing Montreal as a crucial opportunity to get the American outfit back into the fight at the front of the midfield.
After an encouraging start to the season, Haas has lost momentum in recent races. The team collected just a single point in Japan before leaving Miami empty-handed, a frustrating downturn after what initially looked like a highly competitive opening phase of the championship.
Now, attention shifts to Canada, where Haas hopes a significant technical update package can help reverse that trend.
The team’s broader objective is clear: reclaim fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship and re-establish itself as Formula 1’s “best of the rest” behind the leading teams.
With Red Bull continuing to push hard to fully rejoin the front-running group alongside Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari after a turbulent start to the campaign, the midfield battle has become even more intense — making every upgrade increasingly important.
Haas brings long-awaited upgrades to the Canadian Grand Prix
Unlike Alpine and several rival teams that introduced major developments in Miami, Haas deliberately chose a different timeline for its technical programme, saving its next important upgrade package for Montreal.
Ayao Komatsu admitted the timing creates an extra challenge, given the Sprint weekend format, which leaves teams with only a single practice session before competitive running begins.
“This weekend is especially important for us because we have an upgrade package arriving,” Ayao Komatsu explained. “Because it’s a Sprint weekend, we’ll only have FP1 to evaluate it, understand it and get the most out of it. There’s a lot of work to do, but that’s exactly what many other teams had to deal with in Miami, so we’re ready for the challenge.”
“We’re really looking forward to using this package to fight for the top ten. Our goal is to maximise the car’s potential and continue improving in what is already proving to be a very close and exciting season.”
There is growing expectation around the upgrade package developed by technical director Andrea De Zordo’s department, with speculation suggesting Haas could introduce a revised front wing — an area that has become increasingly influential under the current aerodynamic regulations.
Changes to the floor are also expected, along with further refinement to aerodynamic concepts linked to the Ferrari power unit package.
Ollie Bearman delivering, while pressure builds on Esteban Ocon
Haas can take confidence from Ollie Bearman’s increasingly solid performances, with the young British driver continuing to establish himself as a dependable points contender in the midfield fight.
Esteban Ocon, however, has endured a far more difficult first half of the season.
The French driver has struggled to match expectations so far, and speculation is beginning to grow over his long-term future, with suggestions that his position for the 2027 Formula 1 season may not be entirely secure if performances fail to improve.
Ollie Bearman, meanwhile, remains optimistic about Haas’ chances in Montreal.
“Last year in Montreal, I felt we could have achieved more, so I’m definitely aiming to improve on that eleventh-place finish,” Ollie Bearman said.
“We’ll bring our next upgrade to Canada, but of course, because it’s a Sprint weekend, it will be difficult to extract maximum performance from it immediately. Even so, I have no doubt that we’ll be right in the midfield fight for points in both races.”
If the upgrades deliver as expected, Haas could quickly reinsert itself into one of Formula 1’s most fiercely contested battles.
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