Haas explains decision to skip Hungary F1 test 

Haas has explained the reasoning behind its decision to miss the two-day Formula 1 test following the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix, citing it already has enough data to analyse. 

The second and final in-season test of 2018 will take place at the Hungaroring following next weekend’s grand prix, just before F1 teams go on a two-week summer break before returning to action at the end of August. 

Haas has chosen to skip the test, with team principal Günther Steiner claiming it has already gathered enough data from having five races in six weekends, as well as taking part in the Pirelli tyre test at Silverstone following the British Grand Prix.

“We have so much data from testing and from stuff at home and in a period like this with five races in six weeks, and we had the test inbetween in Silverstone, then another test after Hungary, it’s like ‘guys, what are we trying to do’,” Steiner explained. 

“Why should we spend money to do nothing? In the end it doesn’t make sense if we have nothing to test. It is not cheap to run these cars, that is the problem. If you have value for it, yes do it but if you don’t have to do it, why should you?”

Steiner said the decision was a joint one, adding the team agreed there was nothing to be gained from taking part in the two-day event. 

“We can do things but for me it’s always the end result. What can you get out of it?” he said. “I sat down with the engineers and actually they said ‘we’ve got too much to do already, why should we get more stuff and spend more money not to achieve by doing it’. 

“We have got so much information at the moment which just need to analyse what we have got before we get more. More is not always better. 

“Quantity doesn’t outperform quality, we are going to try and get the most out of what we have got instead of getting more and more and more and in the end you achieve nothing. We try to keep it simple. We decided for us it’s better not to do it.”

It is understood the decision is not related to development driver Santino Ferrucci’s ban from F2 and subsequent contract termination by Trident, after the American was found to have deliberately driven into teammate Arjun Maini on a cool-down lap, among other misdemeanours. 

During the four days of in-season testing, teams are required to run a driver who has not competed in more than two F1 races in their career for two days, and regular race drivers Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen both contested the first in-season Barcelona test in May.