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Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has left his role after 10 years leading the US-based team.<\/b><\/p>\n
The 58-year-old Italian will be replaced by the team’s former director of engineering, Ayao Komatsu.<\/p>\n
Team owner Gene Haas said: “Moving forward, it was clear we needed to improve our on-track performances.<\/p>\n
“We have had successes but we need to be consistent in delivering results that help us reach our wider goals as an organisation.”<\/p>\n
Technically, Steiner, who built up the team using an innovative business model, was not fired.<\/p>\n
His contract had expired and Haas chose not to extend it, BBC Sport has learned.<\/p>\n
Haas added: “In appointing Ayao Komatsu, we fundamentally have engineering at the heart of our management.”<\/p>\n
The Haas statement did not include a reaction from Steiner, who did not respond to requests from BBC Sport for comment.<\/p>\n
Haas technical director Simone Resta has also left the team in the wake of Steiner’s departure.<\/p>\n
Komatsu said: “I’m looking forward to leading our program and the various competitive operations internally to ensure we can build a structure that produces improved on-track performances.<\/p>\n
“We obviously haven’t been competitive enough recently, which has been a source of frustration for us all.”<\/p>\n
Komatsu has been at Haas since their track debut in 2016.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n