Haas has been in the limelight this Formula 1 season, not for its victorious moments but for the ongoing struggle to fix its ‘broken’ 2025 F1 car. The American racing team’s journey has been a roller-coaster ride, starting from a disappointing season opener in Australia to an impressive comeback in China the following week. However, the real challenge lies in the fact that their car’s critical issue is still unresolved.
The first race of the season saw Haas’s car performing dismally, leading team boss Ayao Komatsu to believe that a major breakdown might be the cause. However, in a dramatic turnaround in China just a week later, drivers Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman piloted their vehicles to an impressive finish, securing a spot among the point earners. Their good fortune was further enhanced when Ferrari’s double disqualification pushed the Haas cars to fifth and eighth positions respectively.
Despite this surge in their point tally, which placed them sixth in the constructors’ championship and just three points behind Ferrari, the Haas team is far from complacent. The team’s real predicament, as Komatsu sees it, is rather straightforward. The Melbourne race exposed a significant weakness in their car, which still requires addressing, while the Shanghai results merely concealed it.
The issue lies in the VF-25’s aerodynamics which causes the car to oscillate in high-speed corners, resulting in inconsistent downforce levels. This inconsistency leaves drivers Ocon and Bearman in a precarious situation, where they need to either push the limits or lose speed drastically. This problem was especially evident during Melbourne’s high-speed Turn 9/10 sequence, where Ocon lost precious time.
The Haas car isn’t lacking in total downforce. In fact, wind tunnel and factory data suggest this model is an improvement over its predecessor. However, the oscillating aero levels have been undermining the drivers’ confidence and preventing them from leveraging this added performance. Moreover, the car’s bouncing issue further exacerbates the problem.
The Haas team, undeterred by these challenges, made a commendable effort after the Australian race to understand and address these issues. As Ocon noted, the team was tireless in their pursuit of solutions, putting in long hours of work, deep thought, and open and honest discussions. This hard work paid off in China, where the circuit layout and smooth surface helped to mask the VF-25’s problems.
Despite the success in China, Komatsu is cautious about celebrating too early. He acknowledges that the car still has a long way to go before it reaches its optimal performance. Their Shanghai win, he believes, was more a case of the track characteristics masking their car’s weaknesses than a substantial improvement in their vehicle.
The upcoming race in Japan presents another test for the Haas team. Much will depend on the smoothness of Suzuka’s resurfaced parts. This brief respite will allow the team to work on the first set of development parts that they believe will address the car’s primary issue. However, a comprehensive update may be required down the line.
Komatsu remains confident in his team’s ability to overcome these challenges. He believes in the same team that developed the successful VF-24 and led the upgrades in Silverstone and Austin. For him, the focus now should be on finding solutions rather than blaming anyone for the current predicament.
In the world of Formula 1, the journey of Haas is a testament to the spirit of resilience and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Despite their struggles, the team remains committed to finding solutions and improving their performance, one race at a time.
