Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has suggested that any changes to the regulations should only be considered once it is clear that modifications will truly improve the sport. Immediate reactions could risk making matters worse rather than better.
Changes yes, but with caution
Right after the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, calls for regulatory changes began from those dissatisfied with certain aspects of the race. Some demanded a revision of the balance between the internal combustion engine and electric power, while others pushed for reducing usable energy to prevent excessive super-clipping, still pointing to the starts and their perceived danger.
Komatsu expressed a different view, urging calm. The Japanese manager welcomed potential interventions to the newly introduced regulations, but only after a significant sample of tracks has been tested. He fears that acting too quickly could worsen the situation rather than improve it.
The risk of causing harm
“Two races are still a very limited sample,” Ayao Komatsu warned while speaking to journalists in China. “We also discussed this in an F1 Commission meeting in Bahrain, and we agreed that we shouldn’t react impulsively. If we need to change something, we should do it once, in a way that fixes it definitively. Some factors depend heavily on the type of circuit,” continued the Haas team principal. “Regarding overtaking, even with the previous generation of cars, Melbourne and Suzuka were two tracks where passing was very difficult. Shanghai is slightly easier. Bahrain, if we were to race there, would be much easier for overtaking. I think we need to face several different circuits before making a decision. Only then can we identify the global issue and focus on solving it. If we acted after just one or two events, I don’t think we could form a balanced opinion with sufficient feedback. Roughly speaking, we should wait at least five races.”
Extending caution to formation laps and starts
Ayao Komatsu extended his reasoning to those, like George Russell, who want to change the procedure defining the formation lap and race start: “Let’s not rush into impulsive reactions,” reiterated the Haas team principal. “That would be the worst thing we could do. If we change something, engineers must learn the new rules, and drivers must adapt. And then, ‘oh, look, we have a new unintended consequence. Now there’s another problem, and we have to change everything again.’ We shouldn’t do that. Let’s observe and let the teams learn because we are learning quickly. Not just us, everyone. Give the drivers a bit of stability so they can adapt to the new regulations. Imagine if we changed the formation lap now, moving the markers. What would we be doing? I’m sure that impulsive reactions will have unintended consequences. That’s exactly what we need to avoid.”
The 2026 season is proving to be a steep learning curve for everyone on the grid. While the teething problems of energy management and start-line procedures are clear, Komatsu’s pragmatic approach highlights a vital truth in Formula 1: stability often yields better results than rapid-fire intervention. As the teams head into the first Sprint weekend in Shanghai, the focus remains on gathering data rather than rewriting the rulebook. If the FIA follows Komatsu’s advice and waits for a five-race sample, the sport may find that many of these “problems” are simply engineering puzzles waiting to be solved by the brightest minds in the paddock. For now, the message from the Haas garage is clear: stay the course and let the racing do the talking.
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