Haas have become the first Formula 1 team to release images of a definitive car designed to this year’s revolutionary new technical rules.
The US-based team’s 2022 car illustrates the changes introduced with a view to closing up the field and making the racing more competitive.
These include an entirely new way of generating aerodynamic downforce, re-shaped wings and lower-profile tyres.
Haas hope the new rules will give them the chance to rise up the field.
The US-based team finished a distant last in 2021 following a decision not to develop their car so they could devote more resources to designing their 2022 car. The idea was to ensure they exploited the new regulations as well as they could.
Owner and founder Gene Haas said: “It’s that time of year where you’re naturally optimistic that the hard work and effort of everyone will translate to a competitive entry on track.
“We made the decision back in 2020 to really channel time and resources into the VF-22, foregoing anything track-related for 2021, which wasn’t easy to watch.
“Hopefully that decision bears fruit and we return to challenging for points and taking something from the weekends.”
The images released by Haas on Friday are not exactly representative of the car that will run for the first time in pre-season testing on 23-25 February.
Some of the car’s aerodynamic details have been removed from the digital renders to give other teams less time to view how Haas have interpreted the new rules.
These regulations feature an entirely new approach to aerodynamics, after rule makers decided to abandon the flat floors that have characterised F1 cars since 1983 in favour of shaped underbodies.
The idea is to generate a larger proportion of overall downforce from under the car, rather than relying on the front wing to set up the flow structures that have defined performance for the last couple of decades and more.
The thinking is that this will make the cars much less sensitive to disruption of airflow from a car in front.
The new shapes to the front and rear wings are also part of this philosophy.
Among other differences is a dramatic reduction in the number of aerodynamic shapers attached to the car in areas such as behind the front wheels and on the floor.
And tyre supplier Pirelli has designed a new type of tyre that is more durable with the intention of allowing drivers to push harder through races, rather than having to lap well within the limits of the car to ensure the tyres do not overheat.
Haas technical director Simone Resta, on secondment from Ferrari from whom the team buy in a large number of their parts, said: “This is probably the most complex project the Haas F1 Team has dealt with to-date for many reasons.
“It’s a completely new set of regulations and this season we’ve brought in a new team to manage the creation of the VF-22.
“Not everyone is new but a good chunk of people have joined with a revised structure now in place.
“I consider this as a great success in the process. We’re still early in the project and going through a transitional season of working together on a car for a full year, but if we look back where we started, this team is already a success.”
