Haas’ 2022 Formula 1 championship contender, the VF22 has been revealed as it makes track debut at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as a part of the team’s shakedown.
The Haas F1 Team has already kicked off preparations for the 2022 season in Barcelona by running their 2022 Formula 1 car, the VF22 ahead of the official pre-season test which is scheduled to start on Wednesday at the Catalunya track.
The American squad marked the first team to launch their 2022 contender, as they revealed images of the VF22 on February 4. However, they only released renders without showcasing the real car in their digital launch.
The team has now revealed the actual VF22 today as it made its first laps around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as a part of shakedown, where they will conduct preliminary tests while filming in preparation for the oncoming season.
Haas is completing the filming day as a part of F1’s testing rules meaning their 2022 car is restricted to run up to 100km. The run will allow Haas to check for any potential concerns before the pre-season test which just two days away.
Nikita Mazepin was the first Haas driver to have a feel of the new 2022 F1 car ahead of Mick Schumacher. However, the actual car looked nothing like the unveiled renders the team presented during their official launch.
The actual Haas VF22 has significantly different side pods and cooling slots on the top surface of the side pods, similar to those seen on the Ferrari F1-75 and Aston Martin AMR22, the radiator inlets are also clearly larger than those seen on the renders.
The car’s front wing had the same design as the display car, but the elements of the real front wing were contoured differently. Haas has revealed its driver schedule for testing between March 23 and 25, with each day’s driving duties shared by both drivers.
On Wednesday morning, Mazepin will begin the test, followed by Mick Schumacher for the afternoon session. On the second day, the roles will be reversed, and the final day will include the identical driver sequence as the first.
The 2021 season proved to be the worst for Haas since joining the grid in 2016, they placed last in the constructors’ standings without scoring a point.
Haas is now aiming to jump up the grid under F1’s all-new technical regulations, having poured all of its resources into building the VF-22 after opting not to develop its 2021 car.
