The American team introduced a new front wing and nose mounts in Belgium that improved the VF-26's drivability. Haas has dropped to seventh place.
Haas has taken a step forward at the Belgian Grand Prix with the introduction of a new front wing and revised nose mounts, but Oliver Bearman has warned that the team needs four or five more steps to fight for points regularly again. The American team, which started the season in fourth position, has dropped to seventh place in the constructors' championship with 21 points.
"We were testing again and again to understand how this solution really worked, it was the first time we used it, so we had to do a direct comparison and FP1 was, above all, a trial and error session. Overall I'm quite satisfied because the car behaved well" declared Bearman.
The new features introduced in Spa include a new front wing with nose mounts very different from those used in the first nine races of the season. The new mounts join the nose through two lateral vanes that separate them several millimeters from the main structure, creating a blowing effect. The nose tip and the movable flap actuation mechanism have also been redesigned.
The American team has suffered in recent races, especially after the first major upgrades introduced in Canada also increased driving difficulties for the drivers. In Spa, the team decided to orient development towards the needs of its drivers, with the aim of making the VF-26 easier to drive.
"With the new wing we have slightly improved some of the characteristics we had suffered with in recent races, so I'm quite happy. The front wing is not a part that completely transforms the car, but it can improve some of its characteristics. We haven't actually gained downforce as such, but we have managed to get the car to work within a better performance window throughout the lap, as well as giving the drivers more confidence." said Bearman.
Despite the improvements, Bearman was clear about the distance that still separates Haas from its direct rivals: "That said, we are still very far from where we should be, we are not even close to Racing Bulls, nor to Alpine. Yes, we have taken a small step forward, but we need four or five more steps of this caliber to be able to fight for points on our own performance and not thanks to others' retirements" warned the British driver.
Haas has seen all its rivals update their cars in the last two months, catching and surpassing the American team in the championship. The introduction of the new front wing in Spa is the first step of a development plan that should continue in the upcoming races.
The American team hopes that the improvements introduced in Belgium will be the beginning of a recovery in the second half of the season. Bearman and his teammate Esteban Ocon need a more competitive car if they want to fight for points again and climb positions in the constructors' championship.
Haas has taken the first step, but the road is long. Bearman has placed the focus on the need to keep developing the car if they want to get back into the midfield fight. The team trusts that the upcoming upgrades will allow them to close the gap to their direct rivals.
