Ayao Komatsu
Born (1976-01-28) 28 January 1976 (age 48)
Tokyo, Japan
EducationLoughborough University
OccupationEngineer
EmployerHaas F1 Team
Known forFormula One engineer
TitleTeam principal

Ayao Komatsu (小松 礼雄, Komatsu Ayao, born 28 January 1976) is a Japanese Formula One engineer and team principal. He is currently the team principal of Haas F1 Team, having previously served as the trackside engineering director.

Early life and education

Komatsu was born in Tokyo, Japan on 28 January 1976 to Keiko and Yuichiro Komatsu. He moved to the United Kingdom in 1995 to study at Loughborough University, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Automotive Engineering and a PhD in Vehicle Dynamics and Control.[1][2][3][4][5] He was married to a woman named Sachie in 2010.[5]

Komatsu has supported Coventry City since 1995.[6]

Career

Tyre engineer and Renault/Lotus (2003-15)

Komatsu began his career in motorsport in 2003 as a tyre engineer for British American Racing, and stuck with the Brackley team for two seasons. In 2006 he moved to Renault to work as a performance engineer, starting out on the test team before being promoted to the race team working with drivers such as Nelson Piquet Jr., Romain Grosjean and Vitaly Petrov.[7]

After Mark Slade departed at the commencement of the 2011 season he was promoted to Petrov's race engineer, working with him for one year before partnering up with the returning Grosjean for 2012.[8] Grosjean and Komatsu formed a close bond, scoring nine podium finishes and fighting for race wins at the end of 2013.[9] After a disappointing 2014, Komatsu was promoted to chief race engineer at Lotus, helping Grosjean and the Enstone team score a podium at the 2015 Belgian Grand Prix.[10]

Haas (2016–)

When Grosjean left for the fledging Haas F1 Team, Komatsu followed him, becoming trackside engineering director for the American outfit in 2016.[10]

Komatsu became team principal for Haas on 10 January 2024, after the departure of Guenther Steiner.[11][12][13][14]

References

  1. ^ "F1 - 2023 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX - FRIDAY PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT". Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2024. AK: No, I'm from Tokyo
  2. ^ Jan, van der Burgt (10 January 2024). "Who is the new team boss of Haas F1?". RacingNews365. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  3. ^ Karpov, Oleg (3 October 2023). "F1 folk: The 'lucky' engineer who guided Grosjean and helped build Haas". us.motorsport.com. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Who is Ayao Komatsu? What you need to know about new Haas F1 boss". The Race. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  5. ^ a b Komatsu, Ayao (26 July 2010). Vehicle Path Optimisation and Controllability on the Limit using Optimal Control Techniques (PhD thesis). Loughborough University. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  6. ^ @SkySportsF1 (17 January 2024). "Will we see Ayao Komatsu and Christian Horner at a Coventry City match together?" (Tweet) – via Twitter. [better source needed]
  7. ^ "Q&A with Ayao Komatsu, Petrov's race engineer". NextGenAuto.com. 4 October 2011.
  8. ^ "Ayao Komatsu profile". sidepodcast.
  9. ^ "Haas Engineer Komatsu says Grosjean had 'Natural' Speed and Talent". thecheckeredflag.co.uk. 13 February 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Tech F1i: Ayao Komatsu - Chief race engineer". F1i. 26 January 2018.
  11. ^ "MoneyGram Haas F1 Team Appoints Ayao Komatsu Team Principal | Haas F1 Team". www.haasf1team.com. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  12. ^ "How to become a Director of Engineering in F1 – Qualifications, skills & more". autosport. 21 July 2021.
  13. ^ "Steiner leaves as Haas Team Principal with immediate effect". www.formula1.com. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  14. ^ Benson, Andrew (10 January 2024). "Haas: Guenther Steiner leaves as team principal after 10 years". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
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