Why Haas systematically takes a delay session “on GP

Ayao Komatsu, director of the Haas stable, has shown franchise in Miami’s paddock: “As long as we didn’t put the car on track, it’s quite stressful, here is the honest answer”. He was questioned about the progress of the stable in his understanding of the instability which affects his car in the turns at high speed.

Haas accelerated the introduction of experimental changes to the floor during the Japan Grand Prix, by reducing usual simulation procedures. If this seemed to mitigate the trend of the VF-25 to enter a phase of vertical oscillation in the fast turns, the team remains unable to predict precisely when this phenomenon will occur, or on which circuits it is most likely to appear.

This is why it must imperatively ride to make an inventory, which costs a precious track time, even more crucial during the Sprint weekends, where there is only one free test session.

“On a normal weekend, we spend most of Friday, or at least half, trying to understand if we have this problem or not”Expliquesa AyOsu. “And then, we see how we can roll the car in terms of cash height, etc. In theory, we should be able to put the car on the track from the EL1 with a stable base, then work on the tires, on balance. But we always have a delay session, which makes weekend sprints even more complicated.”

The high -speed oscillation phenomenon has affected several teams since the entry into force of the current soil effect regulatory cycle. To generate maximum support, the single -seaters must roll as close as possible to the ground. But if they get too closer to it and the air flow under the floor is blocking, the car can enter a cycle of uncontrollable vertical oscillations.

Correct this phenomenon requires a complex interaction between aerodynamics and the kinematics of suspensions. It is difficult to simulate, which explains why Haas was taken short from the first Grand Prix of the season.

In China, during the second race, the smoother surface of the circuit and the small number of rapid turns prevented this problem from manifesting itself. This did not mean that it was resolved, or even that the team had understood why it was happening. And even if a new aerodynamic package is planned for Imola, Haas does not yet fully understand why the VF-25 behaves in this way.

“I wouldn’t say that we have a total understanding”Admet AyoOs. “Because if it was the case, we would be confident in our ability to find a solution that completely eliminates the problem. There are certain dimensions that we understand, but I think there are others that we do not master … There are still question points on how the dynamics are triggered.”

“I would not say that we have completely the problem in hand. But with each rolling, we progress. If we manage to obtain this robustness and this consistency, then I think we can aim for a regular place in the middle of the grid. This is our goal. Is the Imola package will allow it?”

Friday in Miami, Oliver Bearman was eliminated from the SQ1 and will leave last from the sprint, while Esteban Ocon won the 12th position in SQ2.