The much discussed design of the new racing car has already been known for a week, shortly before the start of Formula 1 test drives in Bahrain, Haas, through his drivers Mick Schumacher and Nikita Masepin, was the last team to unveil the racing car for the new season.
Schumacher will open the tests (from 8 a.m. CET) from the perspective of the US racing team, after the lunch break the Russian Masepin will take over the cockpit. All ten teams have three days for testing.
The VF21 is a subtle further development of the previous year’s car, changes were primarily made to the underbody. Ferrari also made a revised engine available to its customer team.
Significant upgrades over the course of the season are not expected. According to Haas team boss Günther Steiner, all resources will flow into the racing car for 2022, when fundamentally new regulations will take effect. The Formula 1 newbies Schumacher (21) and Masepin (22) should mainly learn in the season that also starts on March 28th in Bahrain.
The Haas racing car caused a sensation with its white, blue and red color scheme. Quite a few observers noticed at least similarities with the Russian flag in various places.
In the course of the two-year ban by the International Sports Court (CAS) for doping manipulation, this is banned from world sport until December 2022. The World Anti-Doping Agency is looking into the matter. Steiner pointed out that these are “the team colors”. The new Haas name sponsor Uralkali is Russia’s largest mineral fertilizer manufacturer – and owned by Nikita Masepin’s father Dimitri.
