Haas revs up for Formula 1 US Grand Prix with extensive car upgrades
- Rob Fleming
- 30 September 2023
Haas F1 Team's trackside engineering director, Ayao Komatsu, has downplayed the significance of the impending upgrades to the VF-23 car ahead of the United States Grand Prix on 22 October.
The American outfit have been grappling with a challenging season, marred by tire issues that have hindered their race day performance despite showing promising one-lap pace, particularly with driver Nico Hulkenberg at the helm.
Haas currently languish in eighth place in the Constructors' Championship with a meagre 12 points garnered by Hulkenberg and teammate Kevin Magnussen.
Despite the anticipation surrounding major alterations to their car, Komatsu clarified to media, "Officially, we're not really expressing it as a B-Spec car. It's a bodywork change, sidepod inlet, floor, so it's pretty extensive. We're not doing front wing or rear wing, but the aero characteristics are very different from what we've got here."
With only six races remaining in this season, most teams have shifted their focus entirely to the next year, aiming to make significant leaps in performance during the winter break.
Elaborating on how the upgrades for the Austin race on October 22 will contribute to their 2024 challenger, Komatsu stated, "It's quite a big update package. We're adopting a different concept, allowing us to learn as much as possible. This learning process this year is crucial ahead of launching next year's car."
He added, "I cannot guarantee a specific improvement in outright qualifying performance or race pace, but in terms of learning and having different characteristics for the car, I think we've made significant progress."
The next instalment in the Formula 1 calendar is the highly anticipated Qatar Grand Prix, scheduled for the weekend of October 6-8. This event will mark the 18th race of the season and will be hosted at the Losail International Circuit, a permanent venue situated just outside of Lusail, north of Doha.
The Formula 1 faithful can look forward to an exciting spectacle as Haas aim to make substantial strides in the US Grand Prix with their extensive car upgrades, keeping their aspirations alive for a more competitive future.
