Haas was on pole for F1’s launch season and the US outfit duly unveiled on Friday as scheduled the design and livery of its 2024 contender.
Once again, the US outfit’s car will be raced by Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen who will offer the VF-24 its track debut at Silverstone on February 11, or ten days before the start of pre-season testing in Bahrain.
A first glance at the series of digital renders released by Haas showcase a car that is an evolution of its predecessor, featuring once again a predominately black livery with red and white accents, while MoneyGram remains the team’s title sponsor.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the VF-24 running and racing – a sentiment I know I share with our partners and indeed the entire team,” said team owner Gene Haas.
“In Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen, we also know we’ve got a great pair of drivers behind the wheel, their experience will prove invaluable again as we develop our program through the year.
“We’ve used the off-season to put the processes in place to be better and ultimately improve our overall performance. Soon we get to see how we’re doing."
Haas enters the 2024 season with an unchanged look but with a fresh motivation under the leadership of new team principal Ayao Komatsu who replaces the outspoken Guenther Steiner.
The Japanese engineer’s objective is to pull Haas out of its lingering position at the tail end of the field.
However, beyond personnel changes, Haas also faces technical challenges. Komatsu has admitted that a late start to development hampered the VF-24’s progress, leading him to acknowledge the team’s probable limitations in the early part of its campaign compared to the competition.
©Haas
While Haas aims for continuous improvement throughout the season, the initial deficit could hinder their ability to challenge established midfield teams.
“We’re realistic about our expectations for the VF-24 to start but it’s still an exciting moment in any Formula 1 season to showcase the car,” commented Komatsu.
“There’s a lot of work ahead of us to make progress and increase our performance but everyone here is highly motivated and eager to get on track with the VF-24.
“I know we’ll be maximizing our time in Bahrain with all the various items we need to push through. Bottom line, we can’t wait to get going and get the season underway.”
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