EXCLUSIVE: Haas Boss Ayao Komatsu Unfazed by Esteban Ocon’s ‘Team Player’ Criticism Ahead of 2025 Season

EXCLUSIVE: Haas Chief Unfazed by Talk Surrounding Esteban Ocon’s Image

In an exclusive interview with Crash.net during the Dutch Grand Prix, Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu stated that he is not worried about the chatter regarding Esteban Ocon’s perceived lack of teamwork.

Ayao Komatsu, the principal of the Haas F1 team, stated that he is "unconcerned" about the "talk" regarding Esteban Ocon's reputation for not being a good 'team player'.

Esteban Ocon is set to drive for Haas in the 2025 Formula 1 season, teaming up with Oliver Bearman. This change means Haas will have a completely new roster of drivers for the upcoming season.

Throughout his Formula 1 career, the French driver has gained a reputation due to multiple incidents involving his different teammates during races.

There have been conflicts between Esteban Ocon and drivers Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso, and Pierre Gasly over the years.

Although not every incident can be blamed on Ocon, there is a general belief about the former Mercedes junior's compatibility in a team setting.

In an exclusive interview with Crash.net during last month's Dutch Grand Prix, Komatsu disclosed that Ocon's reputation became a "topic of conversation" and that they engaged in "frank" discussions about it during their negotiations.

Komatsu mentioned that it was a topic of conversation, but he has held his own views from the start. He explained that he needed to have a straightforward conversation with Esteban to grasp his perspective on everything.

"In essence, I think that if we maintain a respectful and transparent relationship, underpinned by mutual trust between the team and the driver, there shouldn't be any problems."

In contrast to his earlier teams, Ocon will be the most experienced driver and the unofficial team leader at Haas.

Komatsu firmly believes that as long as there is "transparency" and "trust," there won't be any problems between Ocon and Bearman.

Komatsu expressed confidence, saying, "I truly don't think it will be a problem. He's a highly skilled and motivated driver. Provided we establish clear guidelines for conduct before the season begins, ensure everyone understands the rules we'll be following, and maintain transparency, everything should be fine."

"We might need to issue a team directive or instruct the drivers to maintain their current positions or halt their actions. The drivers might have differing opinions about this, but they are required to comply first, and we can talk about it later."

"As long as there is openness and confidence, I truly think there won't be any problems. I am not concerned about all the commotion."

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