Haas has been working meticulously and has introduced several updates: the front wing flaps have been redesigned, while in the bargeboard area, the vertical element supported by a new strut has been repositioned at a steeper angle. The strut is no longer metal but made of carbon, and it now also serves an aerodynamic purpose.
The final week of testing is often when the most significant technical developments emerge, and Haas has brought some interesting updates. Among these, a small modification stands out in one of the areas that will become central to the teams’ work over the course of the day.
The most visible change concerns the front wing flaps. The mainplane and the outer sections remain unchanged, keeping the distinctive design that sets Haas apart from its rivals and reflects the team’s preference for original solutions. What has changed here in Sakhir, however, are the movable flaps: the profile has been completely redesigned, with a more pronounced central section.
The lower flap profile is now slightly flatter as well, removing the sinuous shapes seen both in Barcelona and during the first Bahrain test. A subtle modification, but indicative of the fine-tuning work the team is carrying out on the front wing.
Another interesting element concerns the so-called “bargeboard.” These are not the pre-2022 bargeboards, but a solution allowed by the FIA immediately behind the front wheels to manage the turbulence generated by the tires. According to the Federation’s intentions, these elements should work in an in-wash mode, directing the turbulence inward to avoid contaminating the wake and allow the following car to stay closer.
This is also why the 2026 regulations significantly limit the ability to direct airflow outward around the tires, unlike the situation up to 2021. The goal is to minimize negative aerodynamic effects that make it harder for the following driver to stay close and attempt an overtaking maneuver.
The challenge for engineers is that directing the “dirty” turbulence inward would be counterproductive for the car’s performance: the natural goal is to push it to the sides, away from the car body. Given the way the regulations are written, this becomes a far-from-simple challenge, but one that is not impossible to interpret.
Some teams, for example, have chosen to use these elements to “shoot” turbulence upward through multiple vents, in an attempt to find the best possible compromise. On the Haas, this area has remained largely unchanged compared to the previous test, except for a very interesting detail that confirms how teams are working even on the smallest components.
The main vertical element has been repositioned compared to last week. While maintaining dimensions and shapes very similar to those seen in Barcelona and during the first Sakhir test, it has now been slightly shifted, taking on a clearly more outward-inclined position.
Another noteworthy element is the redesigned strut. The metal element seen in previous tests has been replaced by a carbon profile that functions like a small wing. A similar solution was already seen on the Red Bull, where the strut was even shaped with a clear aerodynamic purpose to manage the airflow.
The metal strut certainly had a smaller aerodynamic impact, but it is interesting to see how teams are starting to exploit these elements, originally designed to reduce bargeboard vibrations, for a more and more evident aerodynamic function. Another signal of how attention to detail is becoming central in this phase of development.
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