Haas Chief cautious of "fundamental issue" with VF-25 despite China success

Haas F1 team is entering the week of the Japanese Grand Prix with confidence after a successful campaign in China. Both drivers, Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman, finished the Chinese Grand Prix in the points, pushing the United States-owned team into sixth in the standings. But despite this, team principal Ayao Komatsu is wary of underlying problems with their car, the VF-25.

In a preview sent to Motorsport.com, Komatsu is keen to temper expectations.

"After a very successful weekend in Shanghai, we're energized to come to Japan. Suzuka is a very challenging circuit both for drivers and engineers to setup the car right. Even though we raced competitively in Shanghai, we know that we still carry a fundamental car issue that was exposed in Melbourne.

"We're going into this weekend with our eyes wide open to tackle any challenges we might face and aim to get the best out of the VF-25 and our drivers."

This comes after a rollercoaster of a 2025 season so far for the team, who paced well in Bahrain testing but struggled massively in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. With both drivers finishing out of the points, it was a wake-up call for Haas.

Haas Japanese GP special livery

Photo by: Haas F1 Team

“Australia was a shock to us, not something we were expecting based on Bahrain testing," Komatsu told F1 TV following their China outing. “Everyone has a failure, right? But failure shouldn't define you. What defines you is how you get up from that failure – and I think as a whole team we showed that,” he said on the substantial shift in car performance.

Ocon crossed the finish line in seventh place in China, followed by Bearman who finished 10th. But three disqualifications ahead of them from drivers Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, and Pierre Gasly, saw them march up the scoreboard, helping them climb the standings with a strong points haul. But Komatsu isn't holding his breath.

"I'm not kidding myself to say we solved the problem – we haven't," he confirmed. "So certain circuits we go to, we're still gonna have a big problem."

The main issue in the car stems from instability and a lack of downforce in fast corners, a limitation that manifested in Turns 9 and 10 in Melbourne.  

The Suzuka Circuit welcomes the F1 circus this weekend where Haas will be showing off a unique livery celebrating Japan's cherry blossoms (pictured above). This comes after their partnership with the Japanese manufacturer Toyota began in late 2024.