193 replies to this topic

[eibyyz]

New livery for Japan. Looks great!

Where's the Love button?

[PayasYouRace]

When you go to buy a Coke and you accidentally buy a Cherry Coke.

[Ali623]

https://www.the-race...horribly-wrong/

 

Haas have fast-tracked a floor upgrade for this weekend (seemingly committed prior to any CFD/wind tunnel work was done on it) to try and solve the high-speed cornering issue they experienced in Melbourne. Komatsu has admitted it's a massive risk that could backfire horribly.

 

"It is a risk," Komatsu admitted. "It's a judgment call. But to me we had no option.

 

"The scale of the issue in Melbourne was huge. We were the slowest car by country a mile. So we had to do it."

 

 

 

I guess positively though, he suggests that if it works, thier performance could be even better than in China. Let's wait and see.

Edited by Ali623, 03 April 2025 - 08:33.

[paulb]

I appreciate Kamatsu's honesty. I hope he leads Haas a long time.

[wheadon1985]

They use Ferrari suspension parts right? Seems like the Haas boys can teach them a thing or two as Ferrari also had ride height problems. Well done to ocon and bearman

They do have Ferrari suspension but I believe they have stayed with the 2024 spec suspension for 2025 than take the latest Ferrari kit.

[BoDarvelle]

They are using the new Ferrari 2025 rear suspension/trans while continuing with the 2024 pushrod front suspension apparently with some Haas tweeks.

[BoDarvelle]

From what I could make out, Ayao talks kind of fast with an accent, it sounds as if the floor mod is an improvement. They had some other issue in FP1 they had to adjust that held them back but expects to find speed in the setup overnight.

[Viryfan]

From what I could make out, Ayao talks kind of fast with an accent, it sounds as if the floor mod is an improvement. They had some other issue in FP1 they had to adjust that held them back but expects to find speed in the setup overnight.

I think Haas lack of big simulator time is hurting so they need wholesale fine tuning of the set up at the track.

[BoDarvelle]

Yeah, they really need their own simulator they can use as needed. Not sure if the one they are getting installed will be done this year.

 

Frankly, it is impressive what they have been able to do without one.

[BoDarvelle]

Q3 with a modded floor that never saw CFD or the tunnel before being shipped out? I'll take it.

 

Neither data nor on boards would open for me so haven't been able to see Ocon's lap, but assume he had an error to be that far behind Bearman. Saying that, I think Ollie is showing himself to be a pretty damn good qualifier.

[KWSN - DSM]

Very impressive by Bearman.

[Colbul1]

Just seen Ollie on Sky reviewing his lap, he's a proper diamond and is really loving life. He's looking better with every race and Esteban is going to need to up his game in my opinion.

[Viryfan]

Q3 with a modded floor that never saw CFD or the tunnel before being shipped out? I'll take it.

Neither data nor on boards would open for me so haven't been able to see Ocon's lap, but assume he had an error to be that far behind Bearman. Saying that, I think Ollie is showing himself to be a pretty damn good qualifier.

Seems like Ocon had no feel for the car.

Ocon is a risk averse driver when he is not confident in the car, he will be rather slow than eventually crash the car.

[cyclist]

Bearman is doing an amazing job, but what is going on with Esteban? They only bolted the new floor on today, so perhaps he just hasn't found his rhythm? That time difference is huge.

[jcbc3]

Erh, Ocon got a 5th place in the last Grand Prix. Aren't you guys a bit premature on his obituary?

[KWSN - DSM]

Overreaction the modus operandi in most Team Threads this season.

[cyclist]

Erh, Ocon got a 5th place in the last Grand Prix. Aren't you guys a bit premature on his obituary?

 

I m not saying he is bad, just wondering why he was so far off the pace. I wonder if the floor they put on his car made him lose rhythm.

[MKSixer]

Stout performance by Bearman. It was wonderful seeing his dad in absolute ecstasy about his son's success!!

[jonklug]

Bearman is really good. Ocon is not an easy team mate to have, and he has vastly outperformed him on a real drivers' track.

[STRFerrari4Ever]

Bearman destroyed Ocon this weekend, 8 spots further up and a point on a track he has never raced on.

[KWSN - DSM]

I am very impressed with the turn around by Haas since Australia, China were good, they had a little luck or at least gains with the 3 DSQ's, this weekend Bearman finished 10th on merit, qualifying, race, the works.

[BoDarvelle]

Well, he finished 10th on merit at China as well with Ocon seventh before the 2 DQ's ahead of them.

 

I'm amazed at how well they did considering the new floor was basically an eyeball design with no CFD or wind tunnel before being made and shipped. 

[B38]

Not a good weekend for Ocon, but Bearman did very well, hats off!

[Mark521]

Considering how bad they looked 3 weeks ago, this was a better than expected result. Not sure if this car will ever be as fast as the Williams (particularly as Albon is driving very well and Sainz will start to produce soon) but maybe with a bit of luck they can stay ahead of AM, VCARB, Sauber and Alpine.

[Secretariat]

 

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team is pleased to announce Ryō Hirakawa as its Official Reserve Driver for the 2025 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. The Japanese driver – who currently competes for Toyota GAZOO Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship – joins the American marque following a successful outing at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi last December where he drove the team’s VF-24....

 

Komatsu: It’s great to welcome Ryō to MoneyGram Haas F1 Team and have his experience bolster our knowledge and understanding of the VF-25,” shared Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal of MoneyGram Haas F1 Team. “His feedback was very detailed at the post-season test last year, so being able to provide Ryō valuable track time across four different circuits this year will help the entire team. As part of our collaboration with Toyota GAZOO Racing, it’s great to welcome new talent into the team – it’s a real pleasure to work with a racer of his driving acumen.”

 

https://www.haasf1te...-reserve-driver

 

Seems like another boring but shrewd move in harmonizing the team infrastructure between Toyota and Haas given his experience, and not mention his brief tours with McLaren and Alpine. 

[ar1]

Hmmm

 

https://www.racefans...riffs-increase/

 

They say "Haas F1 team said in a statement that Haas Automation’s announcement “does not have any impact regarding MoneyGram Haas F1 Team.”"

 

but if the parent business is going to get hammered, money coming through to the F1 team has got to go down - More Toyota money / possible buy-in?

[BRG]

Leaving aside any comment on trade war outcomes, doesn't the race team now have enough sponsorship to survive on its own bearing in mind the budget cap?

[balmybaldwin]

I thought Haas Automation was the main sponsor?  They look like they will be hit hard by Tarrifs, and as a business they need certainty - there's a long lead time on tooling

[BRG]

Yes, the mother company has been the main sponsor but that has already been changing.  If you look at how teams like Williams and McLaren have rounded up sponsorship, Haas could surely get more.  Moneygram must pay a fair whack and then there is all that Rich Energy cash to play with!

 

Even if the Trump administration succeeds in putting Haas Automation out of business, the team could easily survive as it now has major value in itself. 

[loki]

I thought Haas Automation was the main sponsor?  They look like they will be hit hard by Tarrifs, and as a business they need certainty - there's a long lead time on tooling

It’s Moneygram now though the tool company is still a sponsor.  Many of the Haas tools are available “off the shelf”.  They build and stock them here and can send them to their company owned outlets around the world.   If they didn’t send the non US stock before now they’ll hurt sooner rather than later.

[Mark521]

Well, that's not a qualifying result we were hoping for. Might as well make Sunday a testing session and get ready for Saudi next week.

[Viryfan]

It is a tyre deg race, so i would not count that race out just yet.

[BoDarvelle]

And passing is not difficult here. Ocon may have a shot at the points if the car is good enough.

 

What happened with Bearman? I assume a mistake to be shotgun on the field.

[Mark521]

Might as well make Sunday a testing session and get ready for Saudi next week.

 

Obviously, this comment of mine didn't age well ;)

 

Great job by both drivers and the team. A "never say die" type of effort. 

[KWSN - DSM]

Really, really impressed with team, with Ocon, with Bearman.

[BoDarvelle]

[BoDarvelle]

Fifth in the constructors. Nice.

 

[DW46]

What a great driver pairing this has proved to be so far.

Edited by DW46, 13 April 2025 - 17:31.

[mclarensmps]

Excellent race for Haas! I'm a big fan of Komatsu, what a guy. Bearman is a great racer!

[FLB]

Excellent race for Haas! I'm a big fan of Komatsu, what a guy. 

It's amazing what he's brought to that team. It's a move that should have been made YEARS ago, IMHO.

[KWSN - DSM]

Haas have done very, very well this season, optimizing a lot through drivers being smart when racing, and strange have to so say - Haas giving their drivers really good strategies.

[BarryinIN]

Once again, Bearman DTOD. Except in the voting.

[BoDarvelle]

Haas have done very, very well this season, optimizing a lot through drivers being smart when racing, and strange have to so say - Haas giving their drivers really good strategies.

 

Ayao has said improving their strat team was a focus over the winter as they left a lot of points on the table last year.

[Ben24]

Once again, Bearman DTOD. Except in the voting.

I'd say he actually one of worst drivers this race relative to his team mate alongside Hamilton, Tsunoda and maybe Doohan. Just extremely lucky with the timing of the SC. Second half of his race was still solid though and would still rate his season easily amongst the best of the rookies so far.