US-owned Haas on Friday became the first team to take the wraps off its 2022 Formula One car when it unveiled a digital rendering of its VF22 challenger, which it hopes will lift it off the back of the grid.
The car has been designed to Formula One’s radically new rules, with revised aerodynamics aimed at improving wheel-to-wheel racing and 18-inch wheels.
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It will be raced by Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time world champion Michael, and Russian Nikita Mazepin, whose father owns the team’s title sponsor Uralkali, and will sport the same Russian-themed livery as last year.
The pair will both be going into their second Formula One seasons.
Haas, which sources its power units and other permitted parts from Ferrari, finished last in the overall standings in 2021 and was the only team to not score a point.
It has pinned its hopes of moving back up the grid on this season’s rule change, having foregone development of the 2021 car to focus on this year’s challenger.
Steiner expresses doubts about 2022 sprint race plans
Haas team boss Guenther Steiner expressed doubts about whether Formula One’s plan to host six sprint races in 2022 would go ahead, with the top teams demanding an increase in the sport’s cost cap.
Formula One trialled the sprint race format at three events last year, with qualifying brought forward a day to Friday and a 100 km race held on Saturday to decide the grid for Sunday’s grand prix.
The sport had planned to roll out the format across six events this season.
“I don’t know exactly what is happening,” Steiner said.
“We are having a Formula One Commission meeting in 10 days and then we will see more where we are with that one.
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“I think we will have three sprint races but … I don’t know that. So let’s see where we can get to, but I don’t have the answer yet.”
Formula One introduced a cost cap last season, limiting the amount of money teams can spend in a bid to create a more level playing field.
The cap, introduced at $145 million in 2021, has been lowered to a base figure of $140 million this year.
Three of the sport’s big teams want that cap raised to account for the increased number of sprint races in a season when they will also be getting to grips with cars designed to radically new rules.
