Haas F1 Team is preparing to introduce a heavily revised version of its VF-26 this weekend in Montreal and the team principal Ayao Komatsu believes this new package could allow the American team to quickly return to the fight for points.
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After a particularly difficult weekend in Miami — where Haas had only brought a slightly modified diffuser — the team is now preparing a much more significant technical offensive for the Canadian Grand Prix.
But the context considerably complicates the task.
Limited track time
The Gilles Villeneuve circuit indeed hosts a new Sprint weekend, which means that teams will only have one free practice session before the start of competitive sessions. An extremely tight schedule that leaves very little room for error if the new parts do not work immediately.
Komatsu clearly explained that Montreal represents much more than just a Grand Prix for Haas: it is a real test of development and execution.
“As a team, we always look forward to the Canadian Grand Prix. It’s a great city and a very special circuit with a lot of history. This year, we are arriving a little earlier than usual, so the weather could play an important role”, said the Japanese engineer.
The Haas boss then confirmed the arrival of a significant upgrade package: “We have a major update coming this weekend. But since it’s a Sprint weekend, we will only have FP1 to evaluate it, understand it, and get the most out of it.”
This single Friday practice session thus becomes one of the most important moments of the season for Haas. There will be very little time to experiment and even less to fix any potential problems.
“There is a lot of work to be done, but many other teams had to manage this in Miami. We are ready to take on the challenge. We are all looking forward to using this package to fight in the top 10”, added Komatsu.
Optimism seems shared by the drivers.
Oliver Bearman hopes to do better than his 11th place achieved last year in Montreal and believes Haas can return to the midfield group if the upgrades work as expected.
“Last year in Montreal, I think we could have gotten more than 11th place. I clearly want to improve that result,” explained the Brit. “We are bringing our next upgrade to Canada, but with the Sprint format, it will be difficult to find the perfect window immediately. Despite that, I am convinced that we need to be in the midfield group fighting for points in both races.”
Bearman also pointed out that Montreal’s unpredictable weather conditions could add even more uncertainty: “I love Montreal, the fans, the circuit… and even the weather! We are arriving three weeks earlier this year, so I wonder if that will make things even more interesting.”
For his part, Esteban Ocon explained that Haas had worked hard since Miami to analyze the relative weaknesses highlighted in Florida: “It was good to have a few weeks after Miami to regroup and prepare the Canadian Grand Prix. We have worked a lot in training and on the simulator.”
Ocon in revenge mode
“Coming back to Montreal is always special,” said the Frenchman. “It feels a bit like a home race, especially because we are in North America and of course because French is the local language. The atmosphere in the city is always amazing, the Canadian fans are fantastic and the circuit is very enjoyable to drive.”
Ocon acknowledges, however, that Miami revealed several weaknesses that the team absolutely had to correct: “Miami was a tough race for us, but it gave us a lot of indications on the areas where we need to improve. We have worked a lot on that. We are also bringing an upgrade this weekend and we hope it will work immediately despite the Sprint format.”
Ayao Komatsu’s message is now clear: Haas wants to take advantage of this major upgrade to fully return to the top 10 battle in an extremely tight midfield. And in a season where a few tenths are enough to shake up the hierarchy, Montreal will very quickly reveal whether Haas’s technical gamble can really revive the American team.
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