F1 team boss 'gutted' to miss beloved football club in historic FA Cup semi-final

Ayao Komatsu has had a difficult start to life as Haas F1 team principal with just one point so far in 2024 – but he did get an incredible win with his team in the world of football.

The Japanese engineer – who has been with Haas since 2016 and was promoted to team boss after the departure of Guenther Steiner – is a supporter of Championship club Coventry City.

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Komatsu began supporting the club in the late 90s as a teenager, while studying at university in the city.

He is not the only F1 connection to the Sky Blues, with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner also being a lifelong fan.

Komatsu 'gutted' to miss FA Cup semi-final

On 16 March, Coventry faced Premier League outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup quarter final and produced an unbelievable late upset.

After taking the lead in the second half, the Sky Blues conceded late twice in normal time which looked to see them suffer defeat, but goals in the 97th and 100th minute gave the second division side an incredible victory.

Speaking to CoventryLive about the game, Komatsu said while in Australia: “Coventry City beating Wolves to get to the semi-final is amazing. I was actually in North Wales carting with my kids and one of the other dads is a Coventry fan as well and we were on the dummy grid and he came over and said: ‘Ayao, Ayao, we won!’

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“And we looked at it and thought, ‘wow, 3-2,’ and just the manner in which it happened with Wolves scoring in the 88th minute to make it 2-1 and it looked like we were going to be out. And then 90 minutes plus seven and we equalised, and then 90 minutes plus 10 we got the winner, it was just so dramatic.”

Coventry will face Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in the semi-finals, due to take place on 20 April.

But unfortunately, Komatsu will be unable to attend the historic match, as he is with Haas for the Chinese Grand Prix.

“It is the first time at Wembley in the FA Cup since 1987 so I really want to be there but I am gutted because I will be in China for my job, so I can’t attend, but I am sure I will find a bar to watch it,” he said.

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