One of the teams that surprised the most during Formula 1 pre-season testing was Haas. From Barcelona to Bahrain, the American outfit clocked up significant mileage without suffering major issues and demonstrated a level of speed that gives Ayao Komatsu and his squad plenty of encouragement ahead of the new campaign. It is the ideal combination when approaching a fresh season, especially one that marks the first chapter of an era defined by such a massive regulatory overhaul. As the team prepares to head to Melbourne for the season opener, optimism and confidence are clearly the prevailing themes among the key protagonists.
Komatsu: “Every day on track we gained more knowledge. We are ready and prepared”
“I think we had three good test sessions between Barcelona and Bahrain 1-2,” said Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu while summing up the situation before Melbourne. “It was really important how we started straight away in Barcelona, completing 150 laps on the first day. Everything we learned there we applied in Bahrain, and we gained more and more knowledge every single day. I’m quite satisfied with the progress we’ve made.”
Looking at the mileage completed during the final test session in Sakhir, Haas covered a total of 404 laps, behind only Racing Bulls (407) and Mercedes (432). That figure confirms the solid reliability level of the Ferrari Power Unit, which so far appears to fit the VF-26 package very well. “Reliability has been good, even if not without some issues, but that’s what testing is for,” Komatsu commented.
On the performance side, however, the Haas team boss preferred not to make bold predictions, although the early signs are encouraging. “We are learning new things every day. With these new regulations, both on the PU side and aerodynamics, it’s a huge learning curve for everyone.” Komatsu once again underlined the step-by-step progress achieved throughout the winter. “Especially in this test, it was really important to have a solid execution plan and to carry it out properly, so that overnight our guys can analyze everything, work on it in the garage the next day, and make another small step forward.”
Haas’ steady improvement from Barcelona to Bahrain highlights a team that appears increasingly organized and methodical in its approach to the 2026 Formula 1 season. Logging competitive lap times while maintaining consistency over long runs could prove crucial once the championship begins in Australia.
The drivers underline the productivity of Bahrain testing
The same optimism expressed by Komatsu was echoed by the drivers, who shared positive feelings about their preparation for the upcoming championship. “Since Barcelona, every time we put the car on track we have improved,” said Esteban Ocon while reflecting on his test program. “We were productive in Bahrain as well, where we understood a lot about the car and found additional performance quite easily, so I’m really looking forward to racing in Melbourne.”
Satisfaction was also evident in the words of Oliver Bearman, who brought the car to the checkered flag on the final day of testing. “We had a clean test in terms of reliability, which is really key at this time of the year. During this test we made a few small changes to the car and it worked as expected. The last two days were by far the most productive, when we learned the most about the car, which is positive considering that it’s more or less what we’ll take to Melbourne in two weeks.”
As for the comparison with direct rivals in the midfield battle, Bearman remained cautious: “We don’t know where we stand compared to the competition, we’ve been focused on ourselves. For the most part, the program was completed and the items we wanted to address were examined.”
With strong mileage, promising reliability from the Ferrari Power Unit, and clear signs of incremental performance gains, Haas head to the Australian Grand Prix with growing belief. While the true pecking order will only become clear once qualifying begins in Melbourne, the American team appears to have laid solid foundations during pre-season testing — and in a year of sweeping regulation changes, that could make all the difference.
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