F1 Launch season 2024: Haas launch the VF-24

In a very anti-climatic launch. Haas has launched the first renders of the VF-24. While it is said not to be the car Haas wants it to be, there is still plenty to unravel from the digital launch.

The livery is a subtle evolution to last year’s car with online casino slot suppliers Play n Go supplementing long-term partners Chipotle and Moneygram. There is more black on the car, with it being particularly noticeable on the nose cone and side pods.  A USA flag has been brought to the nose cone as a nod to Haas’s American owner Gene Haas.

While the car itself won’t be seen in the flesh until a shakedown on February 11th. The car’s actual design features a pushrod front suspension and pull-rod rear suspension just like the VF-23  and a front wing and highly-ramped sidepod which are very similar to the one large upgrade package the car got at the US GP last season.

Even with these upgrades, the team seem downbeat about their prospects for 2024, Speaking in the launch press release. Team principal Ayao Komatsu said ” “Out of the gates in Bahrain, I still think we’re going to be towards the back of the grid, if not last,” This in his mind is down to the fact that the car is in similar spec to what it was last season.

This is also down to the fact that when creating the big upgrade package last season “we had to stop resources to the VF-24 for two months, and that’s the performance we could’ve found there.”

Komatsu was hopeful that the team would make progress. ” The team is recovering well, but you have to be realistic because our competitors are smart and they’re finding performance as well. “At least we should have a better base in the VF-24.”

In some good news however Haas have managed to replace its techncial director who left when Gunther Steiner was sacked last month.

The replacement for Steiner is the teams ex chief designer Andrea De Zordo. On the appointment Komatsu said “His communication is good, he’s very engaged and he listens to people, so I’m very happy about that appointment.”

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