The VF-23 struggled all yr with tyre overheating that meant good grid positions went to waste because the automobiles slipped down the order.
Haas has tried to handle that inherent trait with the VF-24 and can use this week’s three days of testing at Sakhir to evaluate if it has been profitable reasonably than making an attempt totally different set-ups looking for a efficiency candy spot.
“It is probably not a lot evaluating the variations throughout the specs, however when you have a look at our situation final yr, it was clear that on Sunday we simply couldn’t handle the tyres for 300 kilometres,” mentioned Komatsu. “In order that’s what we’re centered on.
“Our Bahrain check programme is totally centered on producing the related information in order that our engineers can perceive what’s taking place to the automobile and what’s taking place to the tyres.
“Then we will determine, if we have now good high quality information, on the conclusion of how one can enhance it. Then we determine a unique route on that.”
Ayao Komatsu, Workforce Principal of Haas F1 Workforce
Photograph by: Haas F1 Workforce
Komatsu doesn’t count on that the staff will make fast progress relative to rivals, however he’s assured within the longer-term image.
“The short-term goal actually is to make incremental enhancements,” he mentioned. “As I’ve mentioned earlier than, I imagine we’ve bought good components and we’ve bought good individuals within the staff, however we’ve actually bought to concentrate on the staff being as one to make these enhancements.
“Lengthy-term clearly comes on account of that, so as an example, our first ‘medium-term’ aim is to improve to a automobile that works, and that has occurred earlier than so I imagine we will do it.”
Kevin Magnussen made it clear that he needs a constant automobile, and prompt that final yr’s improve bundle – first seen on the US GP – was a helpful step.
“I believe the automobile we began the season with – earlier than race 19 after we bought the improve – had good grip, the height grip was good, nevertheless it was very unstable and inconsistent,” mentioned the Dane. “It’s one thing that I struggled with just a little bit.
“I just like the entrance to be a minimum of constant in order that I can cope with oversteer or understeer. It’s not like I’ve a desire actually, it’s the inconsistency, particularly on the late entry to the corners, that’s the place I want to have the ability to decide to getting the automobile rotated and staying on the brakes.
“It helped quite a bit with the automobile from Austin. It wasn’t an enormous step, nevertheless it was a step in the fitting route, and I hope this yr is a fair larger step in that route.”
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Workforce
Photograph by: Haas F1 Workforce
Magnussen believes that classes realized in 2023 will repay with the VF-24 over this season.
“The replace was extra of an experiment final yr,” he mentioned. “It’s onerous to name it an replace or improve as a result of it wasn’t actually upwards, it was simply sideways, nevertheless it was an excellent experiment when it comes to committing to the idea of automobile that we have now this yr.
“I believe we needed to see the potential and traits on monitor with this idea of automobile, and this yr is in that route.
“I hope we will take a step ahead. We dedicated to this yr’s automobile fairly late in improvement, so we’ve had fairly a short while to develop, and it’s really been going fairly nicely.
“Though I don’t suppose we will assure that it’s a step ahead straightaway in Bahrain on the first race, I believe the event appears extra attention-grabbing a minimum of.”
