The Haas F1 team goes the Ferrari way with a new sidepod design
Recent pics reveal Haas F1's V23 sidepod's to be similar to the 2022 Ferrari F1-75.
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The sidepods of the Haas F1 VF23 and Ferrari F1-75
The Haas F1 team joined Formula 1 in 2016. However, F1’s new American team adopted a new approach to running an F1 project. Haas partnered up with Scuderia Ferrari as a technical collaboration. Gene Haas’s squad buys almost all non-listed components from the Italian giant such as suspension, gearbox, and of course the Power Units. Non-listed components are parts that an F1 team is not required to manufacture by itself.
Consequently, the Haas F1 team earned a reputation for being a Ferrari B squad. Over the years, the Haas cars have had a visible resemblance to the previous year’s Ferarris. This trend continues on in 2023 after the latest images of the Haas VF23 appeared. Recently, fans on Twitter pointed out the similarity between the sidepods of the VF23 and the 2022 Ferrari F1-75.
The Scuderia Ferrari F1-75’s sidepod design was one of the most innovative layouts of the season. Charles Leclerc fought for the F1 championship with the car before falling out by the latter half of the season. Subsequently, Haas F1’s decision to mimic this design is an effort to extract more pace out of its car. The American team seeks to fight for points regularly this season.
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The Haas F1 team also has a facility in Ferrari’s hometown, Maranello
This uncanny resemblance is no surprise. The Haas F1 team also has Design Office in Italy’s Maranello, the same town where Ferrari is based. The American giant also won over several Ferrari staff after the introduction of the cost cap in F1. Simone Resta, the present Technical Director of Haas works from the Maranello office and was previously the mastermind behind some race-winning machinery such as the SF70H. Although currently, Haas is looking for more freedom from Ferrari.
Interestingly, Nico Hulkenberg visited the Ferrari base after joining the Haas F1 team. Many speculated this as a peculiar incident. However, considering the relations between Haas and Ferrari, it appeared to be a friendly visit. Although, in F1 it does not matter if the ideas behind a car are original or not. What matters is that the car is fast. Certainly, it remains to be seen whether the Haas VF23 can live up to the high expectations.
The Haas F1 team is trying to get itself back to the F1 midfield after a few rough seasons. The team now finally has the resources and the drivers that can provide it with a stable season. Yet, Gunther Steiner must lead the American squad to some decent results in 2023 to finally show some real progress. It would be interesting to see if these new sidepods are a step towards Haas’s resurgence in Formula 1.
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Armaan Agarwal
(2367 Articles Published)