Column | Have McLaren finally found their pace and Haas lost theirs?

McLaren and Haas have had two completely unexpected starts to the season, with one battling at the top and the other struggling to score points. However, tides changed in Australia it seems, have McLaren finally found their pace and Haas lost theirs?

The 2022 Formula One season is only three races deep but it has already seen many a surprise thrown its way. Ferrari and Charles Leclerc on top, Max Verstappen finishing only one race and Aston Martin being the only team yet to score are shocking to many, but there are two that stand out amongst the rest. McLaren struggling to find any pace and Haas battling with the top teams are stories that have dominated the headlines to start this season.

With this being only the start of a new era of racing, we expected changes to occur, but not as drastically as some have. Daniel Ricciardo has only finished in the top 10 once, in his home race, whereas Lando Norris has improved in every race this season. Despite this improvement, it’s still not where Zak Brown and the McLaren team want and are expected to be.

As for Haas, this shock was predicted by some fans and experts, but not to the extent that has been shown through three races. The controversy surrounding Nikita Mazepin at the start of the season didn’t put the team in good stead coming into Bahrain. The Russian driver was replaced with the experienced Kevin Magnussen for his third stint in F1 and, so far, the Dane has not disappointed. The team witnessed a fifth-place finish in the season opener, fighting with seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton, followed by a points finish in Saudi Arabia, leaving them hoping for only more success during the season.

On the other hand, things dropped back to reality in Australia when both Magnussen and Mick Schumacher fell outside the top 10, scoring no points. Now, teams are also calling for an investigation surrounding the teams’ relationship with Ferrari, following the unexpected pace of the car through the opening three races.

Is it too early to claim that McLaren have found their pace?

To put it in simple terms, yes. One strong race for both drivers doesn’t mean that the British team have re-found their pace from last season and can now fight for podiums and race wins once again. Yet, it is encouraging to see for all fans and those involved with McLaren. The Australian Grand Prix would have been a major confidence boost and a points haul of 18 moves the team closer to the point they want to be nearing.

Norris sits eighth overall and Ricciardo is down in 11th with 16 and eight points respectively, a position both drivers want to improve upon. However, McLaren are fourth overall in the Constructors’ Championship and when you look at who’s ahead, it’s very encouraging for the team despite their struggling start. Only Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull are ahead, but Alpine are close behind.

The pace in the McLaren car will undoubtedly improve as the season goes on, leaving a lot to be hopeful about. Until that happens, however, it’s far too early to start saying that they have re-found the pace they’ve been looking for. The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix can be a good indicator of whether or not the team has returned to the top of the midfield, but at the same time, it might also not be.

It is reported to be a rainy qualifying in Imola on Friday and during the race on Sunday and as everyone knows, rain is the biggest equaliser. Last time out, Norris secured a third-place podium finish in Imola, can he or McLaren do the same this time?

Are Haas in trouble now other teams have brought up their suspicions?

The closeness to Ferrari has been questioned by many a team, but Haas are not bothered even with the FIA being involved closely now. Guenther Steiner has stressed to the media that the team is not violating any rules and has even invited the FIA to happily come and visit. 

How does this affect the team? Well in my opinion it only bodes well for them and boosts their confidence, despite having a poor performance in Melbourne a fortnight ago.

Much like the stigma arising surrounding McLaren, it is far too soon to say that the American team have lost their pace. Magnussen has been on a rampage since returning to the premier of motorsport, whilst Schumacher has been edging towards a top ten finish and first points in F1 for a long time now. Haas made their intentions clear that the final season of the turbo-hybrid era would be sacrificed for this season, so an increase in pace and points should come as no surprise.

However, it was easy for fans to slate the team following the Australian Grand Prix, where the team finished 13th and 14th, due to their expected mediocracy and return to the statements regarding Haas’ lack of pace, which is unneeded in my opinion.

We’re only three races into the season so nothing can be called yet. McLaren may have found their pace, Haas may have lost theirs, it’s something that only the next few races and time can tell us. On the other hand, it is exciting to see these storylines appearing and occurring, making this 2022 season unpredictable to many.

Have McLaren finally found their pace and Haas lost theirs? Let me know your thoughts below and predict where both teams will be at the end of the season!