As a young Formula 1 fan, wanting to become a driver yourself; for Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu, that was never a dream, he says. In an exclusive interview in the new edition of FORMULE 1 Magazine, the Japanese man talks about a completely different childhood dream he had.
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While many children fascinated by motorsport quickly see themselves in a cockpit, Komatsu’s focus, he says, was elsewhere. “The realization came when I first saw F1 on television. Suddenly I knew: this is what I want to do, make cars faster, design them. Strangely enough, perhaps, I never thought: I want to be a driver.”
Even now, a slight surprise still resonates in his voice when Komatsu looks back on it. “Well, usually children, when they grow up, really want to drive that car themselves. But not me.” It doesn’t mean he doesn’t like it. “On the contrary. I still remember how wonderful I found it just to sit in a kart. However, I only did that for the first time at 22. Because before that, as a student, I simply had little money to do those kinds of things.”
His passion for the sport was therefore fueled more by technology than by driving himself. But there’s more to it than that: drama also played a role in the Haas team principal’s fascination. The stories, but also his own experiences as a fan.
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“Like watching the Japanese GP on TV, as a little boy. That was in the time of Senna versus Prost. The first race I saw was the one where they collided in the chicane at Suzuka. A big controversy. Human and sporting drama, that also attracted me to this sport.”
You can read the full story in the latest edition of FORMULE 1 Magazine! Get it this week in stores or order it online here, with free delivery throughout the Netherlands:
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