Haas will run separate specification packages at this week’s Las Vegas Grand Prix to suit the preferences of their two drivers.
Kevin Magnussen will move forward with the team’s most recent aerodynamic package that debuted at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, while Nico Hulkenberg will return to Haas’ previous VF-23 spec.
Haas was the final Formula 1 team to convert to the Red Bull-inspired downwash sidepod concept in an effort to improve aerodynamic efficiency and reduced the tire degradation issues that have plagued the team. However, with two sprint weekends sandwiching the high altitude of the Mexico City Grand Prix, Haas has yet to get a firm grip on the new package.
Magnussen also suffered a start-line crash with Williams’ Alex Albon at the Sao Paul Grand Prix in Brazil, while Hulkenberg finished P12. The drivers will now split spec packages in Las Vegas.
“The main drive behind this was Nico feels that for him the old spec suits him better, and Kevin is the opposite,” Haas team principal Guenther Steiner said. “We’ve opted to give them what they want, we have two races to go and nothing to lose, so we’ve tried to do what we can.
“We could discuss gathering data, but we’ve got enough data, it’s a decision based on what each driver likes more than anything else. It puts them in a comfortable position so that they’re as happy as they can be with the car they get.”
–Field Level Media
NASCAR will conclude its initial three-year agreement for the street race held in Chicago in July, and has not yet committed to holding the event beyond 2025. “For us, we’re…
French-Algerian driver Isack Hadjar, the 2024 Formula 2 runner-up, will race for the RB F1 team in 2025. The 20-year-old Hadjar will partner with Yuki Tsnoda on Red Bull’s junior…
Valtteri Bottas is rejoining Mercedes as a reserve driver in the 2025 Formula One season. Bottas won 10 races with Mercedes as a teammate of Lewis Hamilton from 2017-21. In…
RB to pair Isack Hadjar with Yuki Tsunoda in 2025
Valterri Bottas goes back to Mercedes as reserve driver
Sergio Perez departs Red Bull; Liam Lawson set to take seat
Reports: Red Bull set to replace Sergio Perez with Liam Lawson