Ayao Komatsu admits he would have “laughed” at Haas being P4 after three races

Haas Formula 1 team principal Ayao Komatsu has admitted he would have laughed if he had been told the American outfit would be fourth in the constructors' championship after the first three rounds of the season. 

The Gene Haas-owned team has emerged as one of the paddock's most surprising challengers in the early stages of the new season. After the first three rounds, Haas sits fourth with 18 points, behind championship leaders Mercedes with 135 points, Ferrari with 90 points and McLaren with 46 points.

Interestingly, Haas has so far edged out Red Bull, which currently sits sixth in the constructors' standings.

"This year is going to be a very tough development war, and as a small team, it's going to be very challenging," Komatsu told Sky Sports F1. "But we've started this year very well. This kind of result doesn't come along every single year.

"If somebody told me we were going to be P4 in the constructors' standings after three races, I would have laughed.

"We are in a very good position but it's not about protecting that position, it's not about really keeping that position, it's about maximising our capability, looking at our process and forecasts, and then getting the best out of car, our team and our drivers, so we're going to be focused on that."

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images

Within Haas, Oliver Bearman has impressed, earning 17 of the team's 18 points. The British driver sits seventh in the drivers' standings after a seventh-place finish in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, a fifth-place start at the Chinese Grand Prix and an eighth-place finish in the Chinese sprint race.

The Briton suffered a high-speed crash during the Japanese Grand Prix, but Komatsu assured that the 20-year-old would be "fully ready" for Miami. 

"He is fine," Komatsu explained. "Thankfully, he's just got a bruised knee, nothing's broken.

"I'm really grateful that he came away with nothing too serious. He should be back fully ready for Miami."