The brand new season is quick approaching, and behind the scenes, all groups are already working to organize for the brand new championship. Haas began its 2025 marketing campaign a number of days in the past at Jerez with its first “historic” TPC (Check Earlier Vehicles) session, utilizing a automobile that’s at the least two seasons outdated, a uncommon alternative made potential this 12 months due to new funding.
A primary return to the monitor, albeit with an outdated automobile, whereas ready for the season to start and for the 2 drivers to get their first style of the VF-25, the brand new automobile for the 2025 World Championship. As ordinary for the American group, there will likely be no devoted automobile unveiling, although prior to now they had been usually the primary to disclose the shapes and colours of the brand new automobile by means of renders.
To see the brand new livery, followers must look forward to the occasion organized by Components 1 in London on February 18, when all ten groups will unveil their 2025 coloration schemes collectively.
Debut at Silverstone on February 16 with Ocon
Nonetheless, the primary look of the long run VF-25 will come a number of days earlier, on February 16, when the 2025 automobile will full its first kilometers throughout a filming day at Silverstone, adopted by one other in Bahrain two days earlier than the beginning of pre-season testing.
Haas has additionally determined to separate the driving duties: Esteban Ocon will drive in the course of the filming day in England, whereas Oliver Bearman will drive extra constantly in the course of the filming day in Bahrain. Whereas this might sound uncommon, it really has a selected objective.
Esteban Ocon is among the tallest drivers on the grid, and the group has encountered some issue making ready the automobile for the French driver. Though Haas is assured these minor points have been resolved, they need to take further precautions: therefore the choice to have Ocon drive first in Silverstone, permitting time to resolve any potential points earlier than testing begins. The seat becoming will happen in Italy subsequent week.
The VF-25 Will Characteristic Totally different Options from Ferrari 2025
The VF-25 may even be a automobile that, for the primary time, distances itself from a few of Ferrari’s technical decisions. Through the years, the American group has constantly chosen to undertake the most recent specs from Maranello for varied parts of their automobile, typically even aligning with their aerodynamic decisions, particularly in the course of the ground-effect period.
Nonetheless, this 12 months the VF-25 is not going to solely comply with Ferrari’s lead, as a result of, not like the Scuderia, which has opted for a pull-rod entrance suspension for 2025, Haas is not going to modify the entrance suspension structure in comparison with final 12 months. As reported by Motorsport.com and now confirmed by Crew Principal Ayao Komatsu, the 2025 Haas automobile will maintain the push-rod entrance suspension from the VF-24, setting it other than Ferrari.
The change in structure has aerodynamic causes and performs an vital function, as it really works carefully with each the airflow from the entrance wing and influences how the airflow strikes throughout the remainder of the automobile. After technical assessments, together with the time wanted to revise the design for only one 12 months earlier than the 2026 revolution, Haas determined to stay with a well-known answer, sustaining the 2024 specification.
“That is one other vital facet as a result of, up till now, within the 9 seasons of Haas in F1, we’ve all the time chosen the most recent specification from Ferrari. And never as a result of it was a aware determination, however as a result of it was the most secure and best alternative,” commented Komatsu.
“When our technical leads got here to talk to me… really, it was one thing we had already mentioned in earlier seasons, however we by no means did it, we by no means did a carryover of the entrance suspension, for instance. However this time our engineers appeared on the priorities and mentioned, ‘If we purchase the most recent 2025 entrance suspension specification from Ferrari, when will we have now this data accessible? What is going to change aerodynamically?’
“As a result of, whenever you make such a change, it positively has an influence, and also you begin making comparisons. At that time, you see how a lot potential that answer can unlock in comparison with the truth that we received’t cease growth as a result of we’re maintaining the identical suspension specification. How a lot potential continues to be in that specification?”
“You then begin doing particular research, and our conclusion was that we should always do a carryover. It’s constructive that we did the thorough research, so we had the arrogance to make this determination, whereas earlier than we didn’t have that. When the engineers really useful we do the carryover and go forward with this specification after doing in-depth research, I mentioned, ‘Okay, let’s go down this path.’”
Whereas the entrance suspension will stay unchanged, the rear suspension, in addition to the gearbox casing, will as a substitute undertake the options designed by Ferrari for 2025, so Haas will likely be outfitted with the most recent specification, together with all of the updates.
New Chassis for Extra Freedom and Unlocking Untapped Potential
With 2026 and the brand new technical laws on the horizon, it was speculated that some groups may restrict chassis adjustments with a carryover. Nonetheless, that received’t be the case for Haas, because the VF-25 will function a revised chassis: a obligatory change to permit higher design freedom, significantly aerodynamically.
Through the growth of the VF-24, final season’s automobile, engineers found that sure limitations as a result of chassis design had been hindering the unlocking of potential discovered throughout CFD research. Because of this, the VF-25 will function a redesigned physique, giving technicians extra room to implement new options.
“Sure, [we’ll have a new chassis]. Final 12 months, we developed the automobile fairly effectively, however there have been some limitations we needed to settle for. Halfway by means of the season, we realized tips on how to unlock further efficiency, however we couldn’t do it with the Silverstone and Austin packages as a result of chassis design limitations. So, we determined to switch it this 12 months.”