2020 F2 champion Schumacher moved up to F1 with Haas this year and has so far led his efforts at the back of the field. He beat teammate Nikita Mazepin in all but two races, which both drivers finished.
Schumacher regularly exchanged feedback with race engineer Gary Gannon on team radio and also took advice from four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel.
Komatsu emphasized Schumacher’s openness and willingness to try different ideas or approaches, taking into account the feedback from the team, even if he is personally unsure.
“It was clear to all of us from the start that he was very, very open to ideas,” said Komatsu. “So if we say to him, ‘OK, let’s try, why aren’t we going this way?’ Even if he doesn’t agree, he’ll be happy to give it a try.
“Whether it’s a car setup or just the management, the driving style, for a lap, for the race distance, he’ll always try.
“Then we get very good data. Whether it works or not, one way or another, he did it so that we could get the data and the feedback.
“All this openness and the willingness to try everything and then be constructive when, I believe, the situation was in Baku, where we had a car problem. His session was so discontinuous. Of course, he was sure to be frustrated and angry in the car.
“But even then [he stayed] very calm, constructive, gave us great feedback. If you work like this, it will help everyone.
Mick Schumacher, Haas VF-21
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
“He took a big step in all areas, but [in] Tire management, I think he’s made a pretty big step in the last few races. “
Mazepin was open about his own troubles with the Haas VF-21 car during his own rookie season, struggling with a slightly heavier chassis than Schumacher and a difficult aero package that left him feeling “pretty lost” with setup.
Komatsu said the drivers needed “very different” things from the Haas car and that the team needed time to fully understand their different styles.
“Nikita likes a lot more stability, especially in fast corners, and Mick can handle it,” said Komatsu.
“But to pay attention to the tires in the race, we sometimes have to concentrate more on having a car that is gentle on the tires. So your requirement is actually very different. It took us some time to understand that.
“I think that’s the way we’ll get there. But one thing is to get the performance out for one lap, the other for the 300 kilometers on Sunday [with] Tire management.
“Mick is actually very well. He’s taken a pretty good move recently. Nikita comes there too. At first he was a little behind. Part of it is also for us to understand how different, let’s say, a quality Nikita needs in order for him to feel comfortable.
“We’re still working on that. But then he also improves. We just work on that continuously. “
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