Monaco Grand Prix 2024 - Friday. Credits: LAT Images

Alumnus Ayao Komatsu became the new Team Principal of Haas Formula One Team for this season. Now firmly into his first season in the role, F1 fans will have been watching closely as he takes Haas into a new era and goes from Director of Engineering to Team Principal.

A long-standing member of the Haas team, Ayao is a Formula One engineer who has held a number of positions within the sport. Progressing from roles in Vehicle Dynamics and Chassis Performance to Performance Engineer, Test Engineer, Race Engineer and to Chief Race Engineer has provided Ayao with the breadth of experience he needs in his new role at the top. 

A two-time Loughborough graduate with a BEng in Automotive Engineering and a PhD in Aeronautical & Automotive Engineering, we asked Ayao to tell us more about his career progression, share some top tips, and give us some insights into life on the circuits. 

How did Ayao’s passion for F1 begin? 

Read more to find out.

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