Haas will introduce a new VF-26 upgrade package at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix as the American team attempts to reverse a difficult run that has left it without points for seven consecutive races. Oliver Bearman is optimistic that the Monza developments can provide a meaningful performance gain and help Haas rediscover the competitiveness it showed earlier in the season.
Haas has lost its way and now needs to find a route forward in what has become an increasingly difficult championship for the American team. After a very promising start to the season, the limited developments introduced on the VF-26 failed to produce major results, and Ayao Komatsu’s squad has slipped to seventh place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Haas targets Monza turnaround with new VF-26 upgrade
Haas has now gone seven Grands Prix without scoring a point, a drought the team hopes to end at Monza this weekend. The arrival of another development package has given Oliver Bearman particular reason for optimism after a frustrating previous round.
“When you don’t finish a race, naturally you want to get back in the car straight away and start again, but I’m also excited to drive this weekend because we’re bringing upgrades that will hopefully add quite a bit of performance to the car,” Oliver Bearman said.
The expectation is therefore that the Italian Grand Prix could provide an opportunity to change the direction of Haas’s season at one of Formula 1’s most historic venues.
“The European leg of this season has been challenging for us,” Oliver Bearman added, “so I really want to leave here feeling optimistic for the rest of the season. The Temple of Speed is one of my favourite circuits; racing through Ascari and Parabolica makes you feel like you’re literally racing through history. Off the track, the fans create an incredible atmosphere – and as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, I’m very fortunate to be able to feel some of that affection.”
Ayao Komatsu wants Haas to maximise Monza development work
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu approaches the Italian Grand Prix from a slightly different perspective, highlighting the importance of the event to the team’s Maranello-based design operation as well as the need to recover from a disappointing weekend at Zandvoort.
“The Italian Grand Prix is always special for us because our design office is based in Maranello. We take the opportunity to welcome many of our team-mates to Monza, allowing them to experience what they work towards every day and to enjoy an atmosphere that is truly special. We’ll arrive in Italy eager to put the frustrating Zandvoort weekend behind us.”
“There were certainly some positives from an operational point of view, but ultimately we were still aiming to get better performance from the VF-26. This weekend we’ll bring another upgrade package to the car, so once again it’s crucial to maximise the practice time available, evaluate the data thoroughly and work hard to remain competitive in the midfield.”
Haas determined to improve through second half of 2026
Ayao Komatsu remains optimistic despite the team’s clear difficulties. In recent days, the Japanese team principal took responsibility for Haas’s current situation, admitting that he had not managed to assemble the resources around the team required to match the development rate of its strongest midfield rivals.
That challenge will become even more important as the second half of the season continues, with races arriving in quick succession and limited time available between events to analyse and introduce improvements.
“The races in the second half of the season come thick and fast – which is positive – but it definitely represents a challenge. Last year we showed that we could continue to find strong performance even in the later stages of the season, and that remains our main objective.”
Monza will now provide the first indication of whether Haas’s latest VF-26 upgrade package can begin to deliver that recovery. After seven Grands Prix without points, the team needs its new development direction to translate into performance on track as it fights to remain competitive in Formula 1’s midfield.
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