Patience Paying Off as Haas F1 Team Plays the Long Game to Formula 1 Success

It's about time to give the the Haas F1 Team and long-suffering team owner Gene Haas credit—things are finally looking up for the lone American outfit in Formula 1.

Going into the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend, he team is sitting sixth in the F1 Constructors' Standings after bringing up the rear in 2023. The team is on pace for its best finish since a franchise-best fifth in 2018.

After nearly nine seasons without so much as a single podium finish in Formula 1, Haas has tried just about everything. The team has suited up eight different drivers, paired rookies, paired experienced drivers and even paired a rookie with an experienced driver.

Nothing much has really clicked.

The team has worked in partnership with Ferrari since Haas' 2016 entry into the sport and earlier this month welcomed the Toyota's motorsport division—Toyota Gazoo Racing—into the fold. The Haas, Ferrari and Toyota pairing might just be just what the doctor ordered.

Haas is playing the long game, and there's a feeling that patience about to pay dividends.

"To start with, Gene's not selling the team," first-year team principal Ayao Komatsu said in Mexico City today. "Every single time he's asking me, how can we go better? What can we do to make the car go faster?

"He's not interested in selling. I believe he had so many offers, actually, but he refused every single one of them. So the team's not up for sale. And then we haven't even spoken about a first refusal or anything like that. That's not being on the topic. (Our new deal with Toyota) is long term, very long term."

Ferrari will continue to supply power units and gear boxes, Toyota will add a new level of aerodynamics expertise. A 2025 driver lineup of Oliver Bearman and one-time race winner Esteban Ocon gives the Haas faithful plenty of renewed hope.

"Obviously, Ferrari and Dallara have been amazing partners since day one," Komatsu said. "And then as you can see, you know, Ferrari, obviously, the (power unit) partner, gearbox, suspension, hydraulics, et cetera. Those areas, obviously, Toyota's not touching.

"The area that Toyota's touching is the area that we don't get support from Ferrari, and that we've been doing it on our own. So, yeah, that really just adds to our capability and then a chance to understand the car better so that we can make our team more competitive."

The excitement around Haas is real.

The 2025 season can't come soon enough.