Before the secret of the new technology is revealed, Haas has already presented the paintwork of its new racing car for 2023. The new look features significantly more black space than in the past and the arrival of a new main sponsor.
Formula 1 presentations are a little different these days than they used to be. In recent years it has become fashionable to first show the design of a new car before revealing the technology itself at some point later. This way, fans can at least get a first impression of what to expect in the new season, without revealing too much about the details to the competition.
Haas had already followed this pattern in the previous season. Twelve months ago, the US team's look was presented on a completely made-up racing car that had nothing to do with reality. This season the designers have now used last year's car as a canvas to give us a taste of what's new.
The VF-22 as a template only delivers the basic shape. In some details, such as the bonnet, the model shown now clearly differs from last year's Haas racer. The fans should not interpret too much here, however. After a query from auto motor und sport, the team confirmed that this was only a question of the artistic freedom of the graphic designers.
Haas gets a dark coat of paint
But even if we can't learn anything about the new shapes yet, it's worth taking a closer look at the pictures published on Tuesday (January 31). They show that the US racer will roll out of the garage in 2023 with a completely different look. The previously almost completely white car will have a black base tone in the future. Especially on the vertical components, the VF-23 gets the dark paint over a large area.
The end plates of the front and rear wings are black, as are the side boxes and the bonnet. White contrasts can only be found on the top of the nose, on the cockpit surround and on the halo protection bar. The red areas also clearly recede into the background. The traditional team color is only visible on the wings and the tip of the nose.
The new main sponsor also adds a few red accents to the car. The financial service provider "MoneyGram" is prominently represented with its logo on the bonnet, on the nose and on the front wing. The US company's millions bring the racing team to its own budget limit. Haas can finally keep up with the competition financially.
The German telecommunications company 1&1 is no longer on board. The telephone and Internet giant had apparently only allied with Haas to benefit from the increased attention from young pilot Mick Schumacher. Now the youngster with the big name is gone. And the sponsor left the team right away.Team boss Guenther Steiner can cope well with the 1&1 loss thanks to the many new partners. In addition to MoneyGram, five other sponsors are currently represented with their logos on the car.
VF-23 premiere only during winter tests
The South Tyrolean can't get enough of the new look: "I like the paintwork. It undoubtedly gives the car a higher quality and more modern look. And it fits in with the fact that we are now using our Title sponsor MoneyGram is ushering in a new era. It's an exciting time in Formula 1 and I'm thrilled that we're the first team to show off our livery while we also prepare the VF-23 for the start of the season."
The real car should then be shown for the first time at the start of the winter tests on February 23rd. Twelve days before that, the US team will complete a shakedown on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit, during which the new technology will be checked for teething problems. However, the test run will take place behind closed doors to the public.
After tenth place in 2021 and eighth place last year, they definitely want to continue the upward trend with the VF-23. A prominent signing of the driver staff should also help. Nico Hulkenberg returns to the premier class and will replace Mick Schumacher alongside Kevin Magnussen. In the last three years without a regular cockpit, the Rhinelander has only had four races.
Steiner isn't worried that the veteran might have lost his speed. The South Tyrolean fully relies on the experience factor so that the necessary points can be scored in the end. "We have something from last year that we can build on. The whole organization has worked hard to get to this point. With Kevin and Nico we have two recognized points collectors in the cockpit. I can't wait for it to finally and go."
