AUSTIN — Haas arrived in Austin hoping to placed on efficiency for his or her followers of their residence race, the US Grand Prix.
Up to now, so good.
Kevin Magnussen completed seventh, and Nico Hülkenberg got here in behind him in eighth, giving Haas a double-points outcome within the F1 Dash Race right here on the System 1 United States Grand Prix.
The outcome additionally noticed Haas pull even with Visa Money App RB F1 workforce with 34 factors on the season, placing Haas into sixth place within the Constructors’ Championship on the 12 months attributable to a tiebreaker, a pair of sixth-place outcomes from Hülkenberg earlier within the 12 months.
The workforce got here to Austin optimistic {that a} set of upgrades would show helpful down the closing stretch, and the outcome right here within the F1 Dash Race would point out that the brand new bundle is working. Nonetheless, following the F1 Dash Race in response to a query from SB Nation, Hülkenberg famous that Magnussen was not utilizing the upgraded bundle but, and even with out it, each automobiles had been sturdy.
“I imply it’s very optimistic, clearly, to attain with each automobiles. However you see even not the upgraded automobile that Kevin drove goes fairly sturdy as nicely. So, I don’t assume it’s an enormous issue,” stated Hülkenberg. “However we glance aggressive, so hopefully we are able to proceed that pattern.”
Now the workforce faces a captivating resolution, whether or not to put in the upgraded bundle on Magnussen’s automobile — and have him head into qualifying with out having an opportunity to check the brand new elements — or to maintain issues as they’re.
Magnussen appeared of a cut up thoughts when talking with the media, together with SB Nation, following the F1 Dash Race.
“That’s the plan [to switch to the new specification],” stated Magnussen. “However I feel that can be conversations after the race. We assume that the improve is healthier and the information is supporting that. However it’s nonetheless type of a bit uncomfortable altering your automobile fully after two good classes like this.”
Magnussen was then requested how robust it might be to enter qualifying later immediately with the upgraded bundle, and the motive force outlined the tough stability he would face.
“Even you probably have extra downforce with the upgraded automobile, you may fall out of your stability window, and going straight into qualifying, that’s not nice.
“So it’s a little bit of a threat I might say, however we would like that additional downforce and for the reason that information is supporting that, I feel we have now to.”
Haas has little time to have fun this double-points outcome, and even much less time to decide concerning Magnussen’s VF-24, earlier than Qualifying for the US will get underway in just below three hours.
