Haas gamble on fast-tracked F1 update could be ‘catastrophic’
Haas feel they have no option but to "risk" debuting a revised floor at the F1 Japanese Grand Prix.
Haas are taking a “risk” by introducing a floor update to their 2025 F1 car at the Japanese Grand Prix.
The upgrade has been fast-tracked in a bid to try and solve an aero oscillation issue that has dogged the VF-25 in high-speed corners, which predominately make up the Suzuka Circuit.
Haas endured a woeful weekend at the season-opener around Melbourne’s Albert Park, with the team’s car particularly struggling through the high-speed Turn 9-10.
A better weekend followed at the Chinese Grand Prix, where Haas ended up with both cars in the points as Esteban Ocon finished fifth and F1 rookie Oliver Bearman came home eighth, with their positions boosted by Ferrari’s double disqualification.
But Haas felt they had no option to bring forward their planned floor upgrade to Japan, knowing it is a track which could heavily expose the VF-25’s current weakness.
While it is only a small revision, Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has acknowledged it could have major ramifications to how the American squad’s weekend goes.
"I can't say for sure exactly how much difference it's going to make, because in order to get the parts here we had to really shortcut the process,” he said.
”It is a risk. It’s a judgment call. But to me we had no option. The scale of the issue in Melbourne was huge. We were the slowest car by country a mile. So we had to do it.
"Honestly, we just relied on our aero guys and designers' understanding to make certain modifications. So certain things are geometrically different and aerodynamically different as well.
"We just put everyone's latest understanding, without any proof, because we had to design it, we had to release it, we had to make it - otherwise we weren't going to make it here.
"So, we had to do it. But then, respectively we put it in the windtunnel, to see if that idea is actually correct or not.
"It is correct. It's definitely the right direction. But I just don't know how much difference it's going to make.”
Komatsu continued: "It's all small differences. But it can lead into possibly something catastrophic, or not.
"It's quite nerve-racking. But that's the honest feeling.
"As soon as we do a lap, as soon as we go through sector one, we will know if it's going to be like Melbourne or not.”
Haas are sixth in the F1 constructors’ championship thanks to their 14-point haul from China.
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