"We will still grow a lot this year" - Haas technical director on team's midfield return chances

Haas F1's technical director Simone Resta believes the American team can return to midfield with their new challenger, the VF22. The former Ferrari R&D department head is steering the Banbury-based team into a new era with the optimism of being able to target consistent points finishes.

Outlining their 2022 operations and their new car, Resta said:

“It’s important to highlight that we are still in the early stages of our development and transition, we will still grow a lot this year and finesse areas and skillsets. I expect that we’ll see the best deployment from this team in one year after developing the car and in general just more time working with each other.”

Resta, who formerly worked with Ferrari, has set up his own office near the Prancing Horse’s Maranello factory to overlook Haas' newly restructured R&D department. The technical director was also responsible for recruiting 35 other Ferrari staff to work alongside him on the 2022 F1 car.

Explaining the challenges of the new regulations, Resta said:

“It has been one of the biggest changes I can remember in Formula 1 from a technical point of view. The challenge from Team Haas was also that we were really rebuilding the technical structure, with a big change. So that was a complexity added to the technical complexity of developing the new project.”

The American outfit was one of the first to divert 100 percent of their resources towards their 2022 car development, as well as becoming the first to unveil their 2022 F1 challenger, the VF22. The team is optimistic about the new regulations creating a window of opportunity for them after producing a complex car design for the upcoming season.

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Haas technical director explains working relationship with Ferrari

Technical director Simone Resta’s office which is located close to their Maranello supplier’s headquarters makes the working relationship with the Italians convenient. The American team has relied on their Italian engine supplier for various parts in the past.

Resta explained that, as a small team, however, they have tried to maximize procurement of components within the allowed limit of the regulations. Explaining Haas' relationship with Ferrari, Resta said:

“From a supply parameter point of view, we try to maximize all the opportunities with Ferrari. The regulations have changed in a measurable way between last year and this year, with new components and specifications etcetera, so actually, you can purchase from Ferrari fewer things in slightly different parameters. But in short, we are trying to take everything possible within the regulations.”

The team recently confirmed that their drivers will be using Ferrari simulators ahead of the upcoming season. While many were underwhelmed with the livery of the VF22, the car is speculated to be competitive in the upcoming season. The American team is banking on the new regulations to change its fortunes in F1’s pecking order.