Haas in Talks with New Partners to Push Budget Closer to F1 Cap

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu stated that the Formula 1 team is making positive progress in discussions with prospective partners as it aims to bring its yearly budget closer to the $215 million cap. As F1's smallest team employing just over 400 people, Haas has consistently operated well below the budget cap. Although the team currently holds a title sponsorship deal with Toyota's Gazoo Racing division, it is looking to further expand its sponsorship portfolio to raise revenue for increasing headcount and upgrading tools and infrastructure.

Rumours have emerged that Haas is in talks with BWT, Alpine's current title sponsor, which is expected to move on as Alpine plans a new title partnership with fashion house Gucci for 2027. Responding to the BWT speculation, Komatsu noted that the team would not be running pink cars. He expressed optimism regarding next year's budget, confirming that discussions are ongoing with several potential partners.

Regarding driver selection for 2027, Komatsu stressed that Haas will not rely on future drivers to fill financial gaps and will maintain a focus on performance. The team is assessing potential drivers through tests in previous cars involving Ryo Hirakawa, Leonardo Fornaroli, and Rafael Camara, with Komatsu estimating five candidates in total, including Esteban Ocon and Yuki Tsunoda. He added that commercial factors would only come into play if two drivers were virtually inseparable on pace.