The brand new season is quick approaching, and behind the scenes, all groups are already working to arrange for the brand new championship. Haas began its 2025 marketing campaign a number of days in the past at Jerez with its first “historic” TPC (Take a look at Earlier Automobiles) session, utilizing a automotive that’s at the very least two seasons previous, a uncommon alternative made potential this 12 months because of new funding.
A primary return to the monitor, albeit with an previous automotive, whereas ready for the season to start and for the 2 drivers to get their first style of the VF-25, the brand new automotive for the 2025 World Championship. As standard for the American staff, there might be no devoted automotive unveiling, although up to now they have been usually the primary to disclose the shapes and colours of the brand new automotive via renders.
To see the brand new livery, followers should watch for the occasion organized by Formulation 1 in London on February 18, when all ten groups will unveil their 2025 coloration schemes collectively.
Debut at Silverstone on February 16 with Ocon
Nevertheless, the primary look of the long run VF-25 will come a number of days earlier, on February 16, when the 2025 automotive will full its first kilometers throughout a filming day at Silverstone, adopted by one other in Bahrain two days earlier than the beginning of pre-season testing.
Haas has additionally determined to separate the driving duties: Esteban Ocon will drive throughout the filming day in England, whereas Oliver Bearman will drive extra persistently throughout the filming day in Bahrain. Whereas this may appear uncommon, it really has a particular goal.
Esteban Ocon is among the tallest drivers on the grid, and the staff has encountered some issue getting ready the automotive for the French driver. Though Haas is assured these minor points have been resolved, they need to take additional precautions: therefore the choice to have Ocon drive first in Silverstone, permitting time to resolve any potential points earlier than testing begins. The seat becoming will happen in Italy subsequent week.
The VF-25 Will Function Completely different Options from Ferrari 2025
The VF-25 may also be a automotive that, for the primary time, distances itself from a few of Ferrari’s technical selections. Through the years, the American staff has persistently chosen to undertake the newest specs from Maranello for varied elements of their automotive, generally even aligning with their aerodynamic selections, particularly throughout the ground-effect period.
Nevertheless, this 12 months the VF-25 won’t fully comply with Ferrari’s lead, as a result of, in contrast to the Scuderia, which has opted for a pull-rod entrance suspension for 2025, Haas won’t modify the entrance suspension format in comparison with final 12 months. As reported by Motorsport.com and now confirmed by Group Principal Ayao Komatsu, the 2025 Haas automotive will hold the push-rod entrance suspension from the VF-24, setting it other than Ferrari.
The change in format has aerodynamic causes and performs an essential position, as it really works intently with each the airflow from the entrance wing and influences how the airflow strikes throughout the remainder of the automotive. After technical assessments, together with the time wanted to revise the design for only one 12 months earlier than the 2026 revolution, Haas determined to stay with a well-recognized answer, sustaining the 2024 specification.
“That is one other important facet as a result of, up till now, within the 9 seasons of Haas in F1, we’ve at all times chosen the newest specification from Ferrari. And never as a result of it was a aware determination, however as a result of it was the most secure and best selection,” commented Komatsu.
“When our technical leads got here to talk to me… really, it was one thing we had already mentioned in earlier seasons, however we by no means did it, we by no means did a carryover of the entrance suspension, for instance. However this time our engineers regarded on the priorities and stated, ‘If we purchase the newest 2025 entrance suspension specification from Ferrari, when will now we have this data out there? What’s going to change aerodynamically?’
“As a result of, while you make such a change, it undoubtedly has an influence, and also you begin making comparisons. At that time, you see how a lot potential that answer can unlock in comparison with the truth that we received’t cease improvement as a result of we’re preserving the identical suspension specification. How a lot potential remains to be in that specification?”
“You then begin doing particular research, and our conclusion was that we should always do a carryover. It’s optimistic that we did the thorough research, so we had the boldness to make this determination, whereas earlier than we didn’t have that. When the engineers advisable we do the carryover and go forward with this specification after doing in-depth research, I stated, ‘Okay, let’s go down this path.’”
Whereas the entrance suspension will stay unchanged, the rear suspension, in addition to the gearbox casing, will as an alternative undertake the options designed by Ferrari for 2025, so Haas might be geared up with the newest specification, together with all of the updates.
New Chassis for Extra Freedom and Unlocking Untapped Potential
With 2026 and the brand new technical laws on the horizon, it was speculated that some groups may restrict chassis modifications with a carryover. Nevertheless, that received’t be the case for Haas, because the VF-25 will characteristic a revised chassis: a essential change to permit higher design freedom, notably aerodynamically.
Throughout the improvement of the VF-24, final season’s automotive, engineers found that sure limitations because of the chassis design have been hindering the unlocking of potential discovered throughout CFD research. Because of this, the VF-25 will characteristic a redesigned physique, giving technicians extra room to implement new options.
“Sure, [we’ll have a new chassis]. Final 12 months, we developed the automotive fairly nicely, however there have been some limitations we needed to settle for. Halfway via the season, we discovered methods to unlock additional efficiency, however we couldn’t do it with the Silverstone and Austin packages because of the chassis design limitations. So, we determined to switch it this 12 months.”