Haas group boss Ayao Komatsu admitted he thought one thing was damaged when his System 1 outfit logged its preliminary FP1 laps on the Australian Grand Prix, and does not count on a direct repair to its high-speed nook issues.
After following an analogous run plan in Bahrain testing to what it had run in 2024, by sacrificing all efficiency runs for long-run tempo and tyre administration exploration, Haas didn’t have many indications of its true tempo versus the remainder of the sphere.
However the group arrived in Australia propping up the order, which Komatsu revealed had shocked the American squad. A tempo deficit in high-speed corners, notably Turns 9 and 10, was seen as the principle wrongdoer.
Komatsu defined that shedding a smidgen of efficiency within the low-speed corners to use it to the higher-speed activates the circuit was the one option to convey the automobile right into a “respectable” efficiency window.
“I do not assume it is a one-off,” Komatsu mentioned. “It was an enormous shock, we weren’t anticipating that by any means based mostly on Bahrain testing.
“Bahrain testing wasn’t excellent, however we weren’t anticipating it anyplace close to as unhealthy as Melbourne. In FP1, on a really quick lap when the automobile went out. I assumed both one thing was damaged or one thing is totally out of the ballpark.
“Then once we established, proper, nothing’s damaged, we have an enormous concern. It was fairly clear the issue was in excessive pace, Flip 9, Flip 10. Then we simply labored and labored to make these corners higher with the expense of low pace.
Ayao Komatsu, Haas F1 Workforce
Photograph by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Photographs
“However even then, low-speed corners are okay, not nice – however in comparison with the problem we had in Turns 9 and 10, it is evening and day. So then by Q1, we managed to get Flip 9 roughly respectable. However Flip 10, nonetheless nowhere.
“We perceive why, however with the problems we’ve, we can not remedy it for all corners, proper? So I feel at the least we took right steps through the weekend.”
Komatsu mentioned that the group deliberate to develop its manner by way of the issue and “deal with it head-on” moderately than surrender on it and give attention to 2026, because the group feels it has an understanding of the place the issue lies.
He reckoned that the outfit wouldn’t be capable to implement an answer for a variety of races, given the severity of the issue. Komatsu believes it’s associated to the automobile’s interface with the bottom at low journey heights.
“I feel that is the perfect we might do with the Melbourne circuit traits, that our automobile’s weak spot that we found in Melbourne after which traits of Flip 10 as a nook. A minimum of then we’ve clear understanding of what the problem is.
“Then subsequent level is to know which a part of the automobile we have to modify, or which a part of the automobile has the sensitivity to resolve this efficiency concern. So up thus far, we’re fairly clear.
“Then in fact, subsequent is, how are we going to discover a resolution? A few of them will be fairly short-term options, however a few of them might be an iterative course of, each in CFD and wind tunnel.
“So you are not going to see an answer for some races – it is fairly extreme.”
Photographs from Chinese language GP – Thursday
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Jake Boxall-Legge
System 1
Haas F1 Workforce
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