At the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed, Haas F1 team principal Ayao Komatsu shed light on Gene Haas’ experience at the prestigious event. Celebrating their 10th year in Formula 1, the American team made a notable appearance with drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman, along with former racer Kazuki Nakajima. Gene Haas himself got behind the wheel of the 2023 VF23 car for the iconic hillclimb — his first time attending and participating in the festival.
Komatsu explained that Haas drove the VF23 while he took the newer VF24 up the hill. He emphasized the importance of safety, especially on the straight sections, to avoid any surprises for Haas. Despite being unfamiliar with the event at first, Haas quickly embraced the excitement, treating the experience like a child discovering a candy store. Komatsu was thrilled that Haas was able to get the full experience — from driving to interacting with fans.
Gene Haas, 72, was initially unaware of what the Goodwood Festival of Speed entailed until Komatsu encouraged him to attend as part of their anniversary celebration. Once there, Haas became fully immersed in the event’s culture, engaging with fans, signing autographs, and enjoying the wide variety of cars on display. By the end, he understood why the festival holds such significance in the motorsport world.
Komatsu also detailed the practical challenges of navigating the Goodwood hillclimb. The tight space and lack of steering lock on the F1 cars made maneuvering out of the assembly area difficult. He referenced a mishap involving a sim racer who crashed into a haystack, highlighting how easily things can go wrong without proper car handling.
Another complication was the clutch setup in the VF cars, which required strategic hand-swapping to operate correctly. This presented added difficulty during and after the run. Despite these obstacles, both Komatsu and Haas successfully completed the event safely, marking a memorable milestone for the Haas F1 team at one of motorsport’s most iconic gatherings.
About the Author
