Just weeks after their Melbourne nightmare, Haas pulled off a surprise resurgence in Shanghai, emerging as the standout midfield team at the Chinese Grand Prix.
Few would have predicted Haas to be celebrating a 14-point haul in China, let alone team boss Ayao Komatsu. But with Esteban Ocon crossing the line in fifth and rookie Oliver Bearman securing eighth, the American outfit now sits just three points shy of Williams in the constructors’ standings.
The turnaround was dramatic. After a dismal showing in Australia and a forgettable sprint session in China, Haas made bold changes to their car setup before the race—decisions that paid off far beyond expectations.
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“I didn’t expect us to score points, and I would have been happy with just one,” Komatsu admitted to F1 TV. “It was a fantastic reaction from the whole team. Australia was a shock for us and not what we expected after Bahrain testing. I’m so happy with how everyone has pulled together since then to get this result.”
Track Layout Plays to Haas’ Strengths
A key factor in Haas’ leap forward was the track itself. The Shanghai International Circuit’s smooth surface and layout helped mask a deeper issue in the VF-24’s design—one that severely hampered them in Melbourne’s high-speed corners.
“I’m not pretending we’ve fixed the problem. We haven’t,” Komatsu said candidly. “There will still be circuits where we struggle. But when the track allows us to run the car how we want, this is what we’re capable of. Today, we delivered.”
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Relief and Redemption in the Garage
Esteban Ocon, who endured a tough start to 2025, described the race as a weight off his shoulders. The Frenchman praised the team’s collective effort across its global bases—from Maranello to Banbury to Kannapolis.
“Honestly, it’s been an amazing recovery from the team. I’m proud of everyone back in Maranello, Banbury, and Kannapolis—everyone’s worked hard to find solutions. Well done to them and, of course, to Ollie. Double points for us is a big deal,” Ocon said.
While Haas basks in its newfound momentum, Ocon’s former team Alpine finds itself the only squad yet to score a single point this season. For now, though, the spotlight belongs to Haas—a team that’s gone from crisis to contender in just one race weekend.
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