Haas looking for “best ever season”

By Nikhil A

Haas: outlook for 2026 – where they stand and what to expect

As Formula 1 begins a new regulatory era in 2026, Haas enters the season with momentum, clearer identity and a set of very realistic objectives including: consolidate inside the midfield, extract value from their new relationships, and use driver continuity to build consistent results. Below I summarise the key factors shaping Haas’s chances, assess strengths and risks, and offer a short forecast for what the team can reasonably aim for this year.

What’s changed heading into 2026

Haas have kept the same driver pairing they ran through the 2025 season, continuity helps as teams adapt to the new cars and power-unit landscape. The team completed practice runs of their 2026 car (the VF-26) ahead of official pre-season testing and revealed a new livery for the year on 19th January.

A major commercial and technical development is Haas’s fresh relationship with Toyota’s GAZOO Racing, which has developed into a title/technical partnership and a rebrand to TGR Haas F1 Team for 2026. That relationship brings not just branding but also closer technical collaboration and investments in infrastructure (simulator upgrades, testing cooperation) that could pay dividends over a multi-year horizon.

Finally, 2026 is the first year of the new power-unit regulations, which reshuffles the engine pecking order and introduce five engine manufacturers competing in F1. Those changes reframe how customer teams including Haas will access performance from their power unit suppliers and influence relative competitiveness across the grid.

Line-up and leadership

Haas head into 2026 with Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman retained as their race drivers. Their pair includes a seasoned front-liner used to pressure along with a young talent who has moved quickly through the junior ranks and is developing into a sensational talent; this balance should help them develop rapidly during early testing and the opening races. 

On the management side, leadership continuity including their team principal Ayao Komatsu –  whose appointment seems to be a home run considering the current trend, and the reported investments tied to the Toyota partnership provide a stabilising influence in a season where adaptability will be rewarded.

Technical picture

Haas ran a Ferrari-powered car architecture for their previous seasons, and although the 2026 power-unit landscape is more crowded, Ferrari remains the leading supplier for several teams. That technical baseline gives Haas a known quantity to start development from, and the reported collaboration with Toyota could bring complementary gains in simulation, test methodology and parts development, especially useful during a season where making the right upgrades at the right time is crucial. 

The VF-26 shakedown and pre-season testing will be crucial for them, early reliability and the ability to run meaningful aero and tyre programmes will decide whether Haas spends the opening rounds collecting data or collecting points. In the 2024–25 window Haas showed flashes of strong midfield performance (including double-points finishes), so the potential to be a regular points-scoring outfit exists if their development direction is correct. 

Strengths

• Continuity of drivers and structure. With the same cockpit pairing, race engineers and much of the technical staff, feedback loops are shorter and development priorities clearer. 

• New strategic partner (Toyota). The TGR tie-up brings both funding and technical exchange opportunities that could accelerate simulator fidelity, test programmes and engineering hires. 

• Midfield foundation. Recent trends over the last couple years show Haas can punch into the points on the right weekends; with luck on strategy and reliability they can turn occasional good weekends into regular returns.

Risks and uncertainties

• Power-unit and supplier shuffle. The new five-manufacturer landscape reduces some predictability around customer performance, including the presence of AUDI this year, replacing Sauber; if Ferrari (or any chosen supplier) is comparatively weaker under the new regulations, Haas’s baseline may be affected and they might end up scampering for even Q2 appearances in that case. 

• Resource ceiling. Despite Toyota’s involvement, Haas operates with a smaller budget and facilities than the leading constructors, as has been the case in the previous years as well. Over a season the teams with the biggest upgrade flow usually win the midfield battle, although the cost cap would smoothen out the swing.

• Early-season flux. The teams that understand tyre behaviour and aero balance quickest will score much more easily in the opening races, a small mistake in these tests can cost track time and direction.

Short forecast (what Haas can aim for)

Realistically, Haas’s 2026 goal should be to cement themselves as a top-half midfield team, aiming for consistent points finishes and taking advantage of chaotic races to elevate their position in the constructors’ standings. If the Toyota-Haas collaboration yields measurable technical advantages (simulator gains, better aero correlation), a gradual climb into the upper midfield and occasional top-6 finishes is plausible, especially considering how rapidly Ollie Bearman has improved in his rookie year. If the new power-unit shakeup produces an unexpected setback for their supplier Ferrari, Haas will need to maximise strategy and reliability to have atleast a shot at finishing in the points.

Conclusion

Haas starts 2026 in a stronger strategic position than several prior seasons: stable driver continuity, an energising partnership with Toyota, and a midfield platform that has already demonstrated occasional strong results. The outcome for the year will depend on early testing results, how well the team maximises their new partnership with Toyota, and the performance of power-unit suppliers- Ferrari under the new regulations. If these factors align, Haas can expect to be an one of the stronger teams in the midfield, and a team capable of stealing noteworthy results when the opportunity arises, including a potential podium.