Guenther Steiner has revealed that Haas have also explored the no sidepod approach that we’re seeing Mercedes run at the start of 2022, and has explained why they’ve opted against it.
The Haas team is looking to have a much more competitive 2022 campaign than in 2021 and testing signs have suggested that they are going to be nearer the midfield this time around.
Certainly, that is a good sign for drivers Mick Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen, who will be eager to get their elbows out and mix it with the rest of the grid.
Indeed, the new regulations for this season offer up plenty of opportunity for teams to explore different design concepts and it is around the sidepods we’ve perhaps seen the most variation.
Mercedes, in fact, have opted to pretty much remove theirs altogether in a really potentially innovative design but, in turns out, that they are not the first to have considered such an approach.
Indeed, Steiner has revealed Haas were thinking of doing the same as they did their research last year ahead of the 2022 rule changes, but he has explained why they’ve opted against the move:
“This exact concept was our first design. We had it in the wind tunnel last July, and we already noticed there that it gives advantages in slow corners,” Steiner said, quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.
“But as an overall package, we saw greater potential in wide sidepods.”
© Provided by Give Me Sport BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN – MARCH 10: Pietro Fittipaldi of Brazil driving the (51) Haas F1 VF-22 Ferrari on track during Day One of F1 Testing at Bahrain International Circuit on March 10, 2022 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
It’s at this very early stage in the new regulations era that we’re going to see lots of different interpretations and Mercedes have certainly put themselves out there with their approach.
In testing, it appeared as though Red Bull and Ferrari were stronger with Mercedes losing lap time in certain areas, though it was not clear that it was the sidepods causing the issue.
We’ll soon see this weekend, though, who has really got it right and who hasn’t.
Keyword: Haas reveal they opted against sidepod approach recently seen on Mercedes