Haas is hoping for the next proof of its car’s strength in Melbourne and stresses that the fuel problems from qualifying will no longer be an issue
Can Haas build on its good early form in Melbourne next week and add points to the team’s account again? Most recently in Saudi Arabia, the team showed itself to be at the top of the second half of the field and secured a point with tenth place for Nico Hülkenberg – also thanks to the help of Kevin Magnussen, who blocked the competition behind him.
This means Haas has already achieved more in 2024 than anyone would have expected before the season. For many, the team was the clear bottom of the table, and the new team boss Ayao Komatsu had also predicted a difficult start to the season. But they were not at the bottom of the table in either Bahrain or Saudi Arabia.
“After the first two races on completely different tracks, we are very satisfied that we have taken a step forward in terms of both the car and the set-up,” says Komatsu. “We showed a strong performance in both races, which is very positive.”
Finishing in the points in Jeddah was “extremely important” for the team. “I was a bit unhappy after the Bahrain Grand Prix because I felt we could have done more in terms of strategy to give ourselves the best chance,” says Komatsu. “In Jeddah, we absolutely did that by maximizing the team’s strategy.”
He is referring to the team tactics that were used after the two penalties against Magnussen to help Hülkenberg to tenth place. And after the coup, Magnussen also showed good pace, the Japanese driver emphasizes. “This proves once again that we have a strong car this season in terms of consistent race pace. “
Australia different from Bahrain and Jeddah
Now, however, the next challenge awaits in Melbourne. In contrast to Jeddah, a little more downforce will be required again and will be similar to Bahrain, although the track at Albert Park is completely different.
“In Bahrain, it’s all about traction, but in Melbourne it’s a bit more mixed,” says Komatsu. “The corners are different and it depends more on the front axle. “
“In terms of car set-up, we will again focus on the long run pace despite the different requirements. Tire degradation will not be as low as in Jeddah or as high as in Bahrain, so somewhere in between.”
The C5, the softest Pirelli tire, will be used for the first time, which could be a real test for Haas. Komatsu is also expecting graining for the first time this season, which is also something to keep an eye on
Fueling problem solved?
At least one thing should be fixed for Melbourne: Hülkenberg had rolled out in qualifying in Jeddah because he had run out of fuel – a “curious story”, as the German notes to Sky. “A digital logbook is kept and 2,000 times it went well and on the 2,001st time he ran out of fuel instead of refueling.”
Komatsu emphasizes that they understood exactly what happened there and that they have taken measures to prevent a recurrence. “So I’m not worried,” he says.
“The good thing is that there is transparency and honesty in our team. So mistakes happen. We accept them. We just have to make sure that we analyze them correctly. But the action plan is in place, we’re not hiding anything, we’re not fooling anyone. That’s why I’m confident that we’ll never make the same mistakes again.”
Now all that remains is for the car to be competitive on a regular basis. But in order to get a comprehensive picture of the competitiveness of the Haas VF-24, he wants to wait for the race in Suzuka, which, with its medium-fast and fast corners, poses completely different challenges.
“So after these four races, we can draw a better conclusion as to what the strengths and weaknesses of the VF-24 are and how we can deal with them,” says Komatsu.
