Team analysis | Haas don't seem ready for F1 2022 despite sacrificed year

2021 F1 season

Haas made the conscious choice in 2021 not to pay attention to the car of that year and to put all the focus on the car of 2022. In addition, with Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher they chose two drivers with no experience in F1, but with a bag of money that should make the future of the team look brighter.

The season then went as you would expect. Haas finished at the bottom of the table and the two drivers had no choice but to fight with each other. This they did on several occasions. Both physically on the track, and in words off the track, the fight was not avoided and that caused a lot of unrest within the team.

In the end, no points were scored by the team, but it was clear that Schumacher was the best within the team. He made it through to Q2 once and averaged almost six tenths per qualifying session faster than his teammate. Mazepin spun a lot, did not endear himself to the team with his actions and statements on and off the track, and ultimately will not be seen back on the track in 2022.

Winter Tests

It was tumultuous weeks of testing for the American racing team. The team had waited so long for this moment, but it didn't exactly shoot out of the starting blocks. In Barcelona and Bahrain, the team only managed to complete a total of 413 laps, making it the least number of laps of any team. Thus, it already drove 105 laps less than the ninth-ranked team in that ranking, Alfa Romeo.

Haas' problem was also that the focus could not be entirely on testing. In Barcelona, the stickers of the title sponsor Uralkali were removed from the car and after the winter test the contract with that sponsor and its driver Mazepin was broken. Guenther Steiner could therefore look for a replacement driver and sponsor.

That replacement driver was an old friend: Kevin Magnussen. The Dane drove his first meters in Bahrain, where Haas also had to start later due to parts arriving late. Because the delay of the cargo plane was through no fault of Haas, the team got extra hours to make up for the lost time. In those moments, the team often rushed to good times, including Schumacher who recorded the second time of the week on Saturday.

Haas in 2022

A new livery without the Russian Uralkali colours and a new/old driver in the form of Magnussen. Things have changed since the end of 2021, even though the team had been working towards this season in 2021. However, little has changed in management or at the top outside of the departure of the influential title sponsor.

It will be interesting to see how Schumacher will fare against Magnussen. Mazepin was comfortably beaten by his teammate in 2021. As mentioned, the average qualifying difference was almost six tenths, the qualifying duel itself ended 20-2 in favour of the German and the race duel was also decided in his favour: 10-4.

With Magnussen, Schumacher now gets a real benchmark. The Dane has been away for a year, but was once considered the successor to Lewis Hamilton at McLaren. He could never fulfil that promise despite a podium in his first race, but the Dane had a nice period in F1, with mainly great performances at 'his Haas'. This is his home where he knows all the people well. Schumacher will have to step it up a notch not to lose control within the team.

Expectations

Considering all the turmoil leading up to the Bahrain Grand Prix and the performance during the test days, it would be a surprise if Haas suddenly scores points during the first race of the season. The car was not stable, not reliable during the test days and the team was able to collect the least data of all the teams as a result.

Despite spending a whole year on the 2022 car, Haas still does not seem to have the knowledge and/or resources to beat the competition. Indeed, with all that time, they don't seem to have developed a top-of-the-line car. However, with the new regulations, it is hoped that they will at least be closer to it.

With the driver duo of Magnussen/Schumacher, Haas has improved in quality. For both, this is an interesting test. For Magnussen to see if he can pick up where he left off, but also for Schumacher to see if he really is such a great talent.