F1 | Haas must wait until Bahrain before firing up their Ferrari engine
German publication Auto Motor Und Sport, has announced that due to the UK’s COVID-19 quarantine rules, Haas will have to wait until the Bahrain test before firing up their new Ferrari engine in their 2021 challenger for the first time.
Haas team boss Guenther Steiner indicated at the end of 2020 his hope that the new 2021 engine, provided to the team by Ferrari, would make his team more competitive. Unfortunately, following recent news announced by German publication Auto Motor Und Sport, it has been announced that due to the UK’s COVID-19 quarantine rules, Haas will have to wait until the Bahrain test before firing up their new Ferrari engine in their 2021 challenger for the first time.
2020 brought the American-owned racing outfit, Haas, a mere three World Championship points. It was only thanks to another lackluster performance by Williams that Hass did not find itself bottom of the 2020 F1 Constructors’ Championship. Ninth place in the standings meant it was time for change and so Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen were forced to make way for the highly fancied Mick Schumacher…and the highly controversial Nikita Mazepin.
Ferrari enjoys a close relationship with their customer team Haas. The American team relies on the Italian manufacturer for: its power unit, gearbox and all non-listed parts. However, as we know, irrespective of who may be behind the wheel, namely Mick Schumacher making his F1 debut - the car must perform.
As a result of the F1 regulations staying largely the same for 2021, before the drastic changes being brought in for 2022, there is every expectation for cars to perform at a similar level to last year. This of course would be terrible news for Haas.
Nevertheless, even with similar regulations to the previous season in 2021, Haas Team boss Guenther Steiner has previously spoken of his hope for a turnaround in fortune to motorsport.com:
“I know it will be another difficult one,” said Steiner, quoted by motorsport.com, about the 2021 season. “It’s just how difficult it is, and that I don’t know yet…But there are a lot of factors which I have no influence on and are outside of my control, and I hope those factors – I know what we speak about here – I hope they get better, you know?
Unfortunately, one factor completely outside of Hass’ control is quarantine regulations following the COVID-19 pandemic. Auto Motor Und Sport has published that as a result of UK quarantine restrictions preventing Ferrari technicians from travelling, Haas won’t be able to start their car until the Bahrain tests.
Such news is surely devastating for the American owned team who have personnel Banbury-based hard at work building the team’s 2021 challenger. The decision to carry out their pre-season operations in England so they did not have to transport parts from the 2020 car to Italy may now prove to be a costly one.
“The parts of the new car are almost ready,” Auto Motor Und Sport published. “Assembly begins in the first week of February. The VF-21 should be on its wheels in mid-February. Not a dummy, but a ready-made car with an engine and transmission.
“But the new Ferrari V6 turbo in the rear of the US racer will remain silent. The engine is allowed into the country, but the technicians you need to start it are not. As things stand at the moment, the earliest possible time to bring the engine to life is the test in Bahrain.”
Such news was disappointing enough but on top of this, Haas team principal Guenther Steiner is also unable to enter England and must remain in the USA for now:
“If I wanted to fly to England, I would first have to be in quarantine for two weeks. There are only exceptions for athletes,” the Italian told the same publication which broke the latest news of the team’s misfortune.
Ferrari have already given Haas reason for optimism due to the fact that Scuderia Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has previously told the media: “Luckily we can have a completely new power unit, otherwise we would be at a disadvantage…The engine is running well on the dyno [test bed]. In terms of performance, it has progressed well – significantly, I think, compared to 2020. I think we will be back to being competitive as a power unit.”
Such an announcement would have been music to the ears of all those at Haas. For now though, it will be some time longer to wait before the same ears can hear the roar of the new, highly anticipated, Ferrari engine.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton knows how big a difference the car can make:
