Haas Formula 1 Update

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Originally Posted By: DeepFriar
I have always had a soft spot for Kobayashi as well. Interesting choice. But, then again, I was always a huge fan of Montoya. I can sure pick 'em.

The only reason I brought him up is that he's always affable and popular with the fans, and I'm sure he'd be willing to take a seat. And he doesn't grouse about being in a back marker, either.
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There should be a few choices this year, in any event, as the end of the season shakes out.

As for Simona, I don't know if she's got enough points yet to even be eligible to apply for a Super License, but I would hope people continue grooming her in that direction.
 
I liked Kamui because when he had the chance, he would actually get in there and race. Not easily intimidated. He always seems to have $2M in sponsorship with him which is only good enough to get into a back marker though as you say. Montoya was a good "racer" but maybe not a champion. He would push on Schumacher without fear. Good to see him doing well in Indy currently.
 
They need an experienced person that can give them good feedback. They could do a great deal worse than to pursue Button.
 
They'd be best with someone like Kamui or Jenson, guys who know what they're doing and are nearing the end of their careers, at least in my view. They'd have guys who aren't afraid of racing, and know how to give feedback, and aren't just hoping for stepping stones, or failing out miserably. I guess we'll have to see.
 
Romain Grosjean lands the teamleader-driver role. My feeling is that's a dead end for him, but I hope I'm wrong.
Next year anything but dead last in the standings should be considered a success for Haas F1.
 
Originally Posted By: Tosh
Romain Grosjean lands the teamleader-driver role. My feeling is that's a dead end for him, but I hope I'm wrong.
Next year anything but dead last in the standings should be considered a success for Haas F1.


Why so bleek? There are a few garbage F-1 teams out there consuming money, and going nowhere. Manor / Marussia, McLaren, (In spite of all their talent, and hundreds of millions they pour into themselves every year), just to name two. Who knows what will happen next year. Or how all the teams will adapt to the 687,983 rule changes that the F.I.A. is sure to implement by then. Haas could surprise everyone. Look at how fast Red Bull roared into life. If Grosjean gets a good car, he'll score points... A lot of them.
 
Grosjean didn't need Lotus's constant upheavals. He isn't going to be married to Haas for the rest of his career, either. And I agree, if you give Grosjean a good car, he will score a lot of points.
 
My understanding is that Grosjean is hoping this translates to a Ferrari seat in 2017 based on the close relationship between the two teams. Let's be honest here, Haas F1 is going to be the junior Ferrari team. That's why Gutierrez will be the second driver...well that and all the Telmex money.
 
My Haas outlook is so bleak because they are a brand new F1 team that's not based in Europe. All they have going for them right now is Grosjean, Ferrari engines and parts, and lots of money.
But next year Manor-Marussia will have M-B engines, Williams gearboxes, and parts, so who are Haas going to beat? Sauber and Toro Rosso? Actually I'll downgrade my prediction and say scoring EVEN ONE SOLITARY point will be a real achievement.
 
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Originally Posted By: Tosh
My Haas outlook is so bleak because they are a brand new F1 team that's not based in Europe........


Not being in Europe is a plus, not a minus. Especially today. And where is the guarantee Mercedes engines are going to be so wonderful next year? Look how fast Red Bull fell apart after 4 years of total domination.
 
Originally Posted By: billt460
Originally Posted By: Tosh
My Haas outlook is so bleak because they are a brand new F1 team that's not based in Europe........


And where is the guarantee Mercedes engines are going to be so wonderful next year? Look how fast Red Bull fell apart after 4 years of total domination.


Lewis Hamilton won Monza handily with a 2016 spec Mercedes engine, so it seems they're going to be alright. Being off the pace at Singapore wasn't the engine's fault. Red Bull succeeded brilliantly in the era of the blown diffuser despite the Renault engine being down on power the whole time. Maybe since the RB-Renault relationship started to sour last year, Renault has been planning to start their own team while making less than a supreme effort to support Red Bull this year. Red Bull could possibly end up without a hope of getting a competitive engine. Why would Mercedes, Ferrari, or Renault supply engines that could possibly beat them when installed in an Adrian Newey chassis? Maybe Honda would step up, but they aren't competitive right now.
 
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The main advantage of being in Europe, namely the UK, is being based in Motorsports Valley in England. It is like the Silicon Valley for racing. However Charlotte, NC has just as much if not more racing industry there than in Motorsports Valley thanks to this little thing called NASCAR. Most teams are based in that area, usually Mooresville/Kanapolis specifically. Haas has his own wind tunnel and his main company, Haas Automation, is headquartered in Oxnard, CA which has a large motorsports industry as well. ARP is headquartered in Ventura, CA which borders Oxnard.
 
Does anyone here understand the logistics of movement of the "remote" teams during the season? I know about the loading of the 747's in the UK but do they then stop in Italy for instance? I assume that it is logistics that complements the motorsports valley expertise at hand in the UK. I think there was a show about logistics but if so I missed it. They (Bernie) seem to do a good job of keeping the press away from any details when the F1 Air Force arrives someplace.I never understood how the previous US effort would fit into that regime either.
 
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I was thinking of Ferrari or say back when Toyota was headquartered in Germany, those sorts of situations. When I think about it I wonder if some small time benefit would accrue to Ferrari for instance if they are last on-first off if the 747 makes an additional stop to pick them up, drop them off, etc.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
In doing some research, the company is headquartered in Kanapolis, NC but has offices in Italy and the UK.

I had read that they got the previous Marussia facility in the UK when it was up for auction in the offseason.
 
Originally Posted By: Tosh
My Haas outlook is so bleak because they are a brand new F1 team that's not based in Europe. All they have going for them right now is Grosjean, Ferrari engines and parts, and lots of money.
But next year Manor-Marussia will have M-B engines, Williams gearboxes, and parts, so who are Haas going to beat? Sauber and Toro Rosso? Actually I'll downgrade my prediction and say scoring EVEN ONE SOLITARY point will be a real achievement.

I don't think scoring a point will be hard for them. A Ferrari PU can overcome some chassis deficiency which they will surely have, enough to at least get them some points.
 
Can I triple down? They only get points down to tenth place, and there will be eleven teams with 2 cars each. Only in a long odds lottery style race does Haas get a point.

I think 2016 is shaping up for a very dramatic season for HaasF1. Let's think about the personalities here: Self-made tax evading US machine tool industrialist/ Nascar raceteam boss collaborates with no-nonsense Italian tech boss (who has one year's worth of F1 experience) to assemble and race F1 cars with parts from cheapskate Italian racecar chassis-builder Dallara and the political and non-technical Spaghetti Western Marlboro Man. I want the film rights for next year's HaasF1 drama.
 
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