AUSTIN — As daybreak breaks this Sunday on the Circuit of the Americas forward of the Method 1 United States Grand Prix, Haas is on the verge of a dream journey to Austin.
A shocking double-points end from Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen in Saturday’s F1 Dash Race noticed the staff pull degree with Visa Money App RB F1 Crew on factors for sixth within the Constructors’ Championship. Due to a pair of sixth-place finishes from Hülkenberg earlier within the 12 months, Haas now leads VCARB in that battle as a result of tiebreaker guidelines.
Due to Magnussen who certified ninth for Sunday’s essential occasion — forward of Yuki Tsunoda, the lead VCARB — Haas is in pull additional forward.
Talking with the media, together with SB Nation, after qualifying on Saturday Magnussen famous it was a “pleasure” driving the VF-24 thus far this week in Austin.
“It’s at all times extra enjoyable working, , additional ahead,” mentioned Magnussen. “Only a pleasure driving the automotive this weekend. It’s been actually good on this monitor. , we’re seeing some kind of blended up area right here, and fortuitously we’re on the nice finish of that.”
Haas introduced an improve package deal to Austin for america Grand Prix however rolled that out conservatively. The staff determined to separate the improve, putting in it first on Hülkenberg’s VF-24 forward of the primary apply session and ready on knowledge from these outcomes earlier than deciding whether or not to put in the package deal on Magnussen’s automotive.
With each drivers ending within the factors — Hülkenberg with the upgraded automotive, Magnussen on an older specification — there was some query after the F1 Dash Race whether or not Haas would proceed as deliberate and set up the improve on Magnussen’s automotive forward of qualifying.
The motive force himself puzzled about that plan following qualifying. Finally, nevertheless, Haas went ahead with the set up, and Magnussen famous after qualifying that he was “completely happy” with how the method unfolded.
“Yeah, I’m pleased with that, and nice to really feel the improve working properly. I believe it’s not night time and day, but it surely’s good that we put it on and we aren’t going slower, , and there shall be extra investigations and I’m certain, , the info that we’ve seen thus far indicating that it’s an enchancment will develop into appropriate,” mentioned Magnussen.
“However, , that’s at all times an unknown, particularly going into qualifying with no likelihood to kind of, , appropriate any kind of little variations that there could be, bodywork to physique work and flooring to flooring.
“So, yeah, nice job from the staff to make this improve and truly simply be capable of bolt it on and go.”
Magnussen was requested if he used the early portion of qualifying to try to get acclimated to the upgraded VF-24, and the Haas driver indicated that was certainly the case. Not simply in Q1, however all through your complete session.
This implies there could possibly be much more potential unlocked tomorrow.
“Yeah, [you’re] getting accustomed to it. However just about throughout the qualifying,” started Magnussen. “I acquired into Q3 and I informed the staff, I hadn’t completed an excellent lap. So there’s undoubtedly potential there.”
Magnussen additionally famous that his last run in Q3 — which was aborted after George Russell’s onerous shunt — was on tempo to be a “nice” lap on his final new set of sentimental tires. The Haas driver believes that’s one other signal there may be much more potential come race time.
“And, , in Q3 I solely had one set of recent tires and that was on the finish after we acquired the yellow flag, and that lap was gonna be a fantastic lap.
“I stay up for going tomorrow.”
