Formula 1 News: Haas drivers not yet using 2026 simulator

(GMM) Haas boss Ayao Komatsu says the team has deliberately held off giving its drivers (pictured) early simulator time with the 2026 Formula 1 car concept.

According to the Japanese team principal, Haas’s upcoming car is still evolving too quickly for meaningful driver input. “We’re making progress in development, but the concept is constantly evolving,” he said.

“There’s no stable foundation for the drivers to train on yet,” Komatsu told reporters. “There’s no point in getting them used to a car that will likely look or handle completely differently in two months.”

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal of Haas F1 arrives in the Paddock prior to practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Singapore at Marina Bay Street Circuit on October 03, 2025 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images for Haas)

With six rounds remaining this year, Komatsu said the focus remains firmly on the current championship fight. Haas currently sits ninth in the constructors‘ standings on 46 points, narrowly ahead of Alpine.

“The midfield is incredibly close,” Komatsu added. “That’s why we want our drivers to remain fully focused on the current season.

“After Abu Dhabi, the 2026 project will be much more developed – so it makes sense to include the simulator then.”

The 2026 regulations will usher in one of the most significant technical overhauls in Formula 1 history, combining new active aerodynamics with next-generation hybrid power units.