Haas running live simulator for first time over Abu Dhabi weekend

Haas will run a live Formula 1 simulator program throughout the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race weekend for the first time as a trial for 2020, according to Gunther Steiner.

Haas test driver Pietro Fittipaldi will spend this weekend completing laps in the Dallara simulator in Italy, marking the first time the team has completed such a program in conjunction with its race team in support of Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen.

“We’re starting to use it this weekend, but just as a trial but to see if everything works and make sure everything is in place for next year,” Steiner said on Thursday in Abu Dhabi.

“We’re doing a trial [to see] if the system works, if everything works, then we have control of it.

“It will not be a help for the race track, it will be more if the system works - if we’ve got everything in place, if we can communicate efficiently, if everything works how we want it to work.

“It’s basically a rehearsal of the process, not of the performance of the car. Maybe we’ll get something out of performance, but the aim is not that one, it’s more to try the system out.

“It’s a step we need for next year to get better, working for next year.”

Steiner confirmed Haas had planned on establishing the live simulator program earlier in the season, but was unable to get it off the ground in time.

“It took longer than we wanted it to take. It’s a difficult task because you don’t realise until you do it how many years teams had to do what they did in the last 10-15 years in six months,” Steiner said.

“It didn’t work out like this. We’ve still got work to do to make it a better system, but it’s a first step. It just took longer than we anticipated.

“There was not one thing that was wrong, but we tried to do a lot, and we didn’t achieve it. Or we achieved it, just a bit late.”

Additional reporting by Julianne Cerasoli.