Haas tempers expectations: 'We don't know how good it is'

Two of the most experienced drivers on the F1 grid will make their debut at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar next weekend. The only time Formula 1 has hosted the oil state before, Haas drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen did not have a seat. Still, both men's eyes will not be so much on the Qatar GP, but already on the race after that. America will be the place for the long-awaited, major update from Haas. Whether that will bring improvement?

The expected scenario for next weekend is not that hard to write for Kevin Magnussen. His VF-23 is already not a rocketship, but at tracks that also serve as tracks for MotoGP, it is proving to be a struggle for Haas altogether. After all, they have characteristics that do not suit the car of the Dane and Hulkenberg. “Due to the aerodynamics of the car, we tend to struggle with following other cars in those types of corners that this track has plenty of, the medium-, high-speed corners", Magnussen said.

"And this circuit has a lot of those in particular. There is a straight stretch where overtaking with DRS is possible and the track is also wide. So you can drive alternative lines in free air. What I can remember from 2021 is that overtaking is possible there," said Magnussen, whose teammate Hulkenberg agrees that the Losail Circuit is not made for the Haas.

Hulkenberg is not sitting still

The German also believes that circuits laid down with MotoGP in mind are usually not good for their F1 car. "We know we have upgrades coming but we’re not sat around waiting for them," Hulkenberg said. "As a team, we’re still pushing each other and striving for a faultless weekend in terms of execution and strategy. Sprints bring more pressure, so bring it on."

Upgrades have been a hot topic in recent weeks at Haas. From Austin (also a MotoGP circuit, by the way) things were expected to improve. However, miracles should not be expected, believes team boss Guenther Steiner. "The program is on-plan so everything should be done. Everyone in the team has done a good job in doing the planning for this – the purchasing department has worked day and night to get everything ordered in time, and the design office worked and gave the drawings to the purchasing department." The company worked as it should. We don’t know how good the upgrade will be, we expect something good out of it, but the best thing is that we’re going in the direction we want to go next year and we will learn a lot this year for next season."

"The company worked as it should. We don’t know how good the upgrade will be, we expect something good out of it, but the best thing is that we’re going in the direction we want to go next year and we will learn a lot this year for next season," the Italian said.