Haas has taken a historic step in Formula 1 by appointing Laura Müller as the sport’s first female race engineer. The German will work with new signing Esteban Ocon in the upcoming season. Alongside Müller, Ronan O’Hare has been promoted to race engineer for rookie driver Oliver Bearman, completing Haas’ revamped race operations team.
Team Principal Ayao Komatsu emphasized that these appointments are based purely on talent:
“We don’t care about gender or nationality—only performance. Laura and Ronan are the best choices.”
The moves are part of a significant restructuring aimed at improving trackside performance. Haas has also brought in Francesco Nenci as chief race engineer, leveraging his experience with Audi and Sauber, and promoted Mark Lowe to sporting director.
The changes follow Komatsu’s assessment that Haas underperformed in 2024 despite having the fifth-fastest car. The team left points on the table due to operational inefficiencies, finishing seventh in the constructors’ championship.
Haas is also aligning its strategy with increased budget resources and a consistent aerodynamic approach. The team continues to utilize its Ferrari partnership for key components while designing only the chassis and aerodynamic surfaces.
With these appointments, Haas aims to improve consistency and compete more effectively against larger teams. Komatsu concluded,
“We’re punching above our weight, but I want Haas to beat teams like Williams on pure merit—not just by outperforming mistakes.”
The 2025 season promises to be a transformative year for Haas as they aim to capitalize on their competitive potential and solidify their place on the F1 grid.
