Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsHaas F1 Team

Haas resumes testing with strengthened front wing

Haas has shipped a new front wing from its Banbury factory which has now been mounted on the US team's VF16 for its second day of testing.

Romain Grosjean was behind the wheel of the new car yesterday when its front wing broke off at high speed on the main straight as a result of a support pillar failure.

While the team is still investigating exactly why the mishap occurred, Haas team principal Gunther Steiner is confident the weakness has been solved as the team resumes its testing program this morning with a strengthened front wing and Esteban Gutierrez behind the wheel.

"It broke on the pillars," Steiner explained. "We know exactly where it broke but we just need to know why it broke. Always with composites it’s not as easy to look at it and know why it came loose."

Apart from the wing issue, Steiner was relatively pleased with the overall running of Haas' very first Formula 1 car.

"We didn’t discover any big issues apart from the front wing -- of course it is a big issue, but there is a solution there -- but we had no overheating or anything like this.

"So in general we are happy with the package. Until the wing broke, the car, the systems and everything worked. It’s quite good for a team to experience these problems because you see where you are weak with the mechanics and which processes are missing."

Follow live coverage and timing from pre-season testing here

Who is driving when during the first pre-season test

GALLERY: Pre-season testing day one

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.