At the end of last season, Haas had established itself as one of the most competitive teams in the midfield, thanks to a very versatile car, although still lacking in terms of pure aerodynamic downforce. To close this gap, the engineers worked intensely over the winter on the chassis and aerodynamics with the goal of making a clear step forward.
However, the season debut turned out to be a real shock. In Australia, the American team found itself at the back of the field, dealing with bouncing and aerodynamic instability in high-speed corners—issues that had not been anticipated and had not emerged as clearly during winter testing. It was a rude and unexpected awakening.
Despite the disappointment, Haas responded calmly, avoiding panic and focusing on data analysis to understand how to move forward, while waiting for updates specifically designed to address the critical issues. The first technical changes came at record speed in Suzuka, in the form of floor modifications developed without even going through the wind tunnel, just to intervene as quickly as possible.
These first changes immediately showed encouraging signs, not only helping to contain the problem but also confirming the development direction for the next upgrade package—set to arrive in Imola next week—partly as a direct response to the difficulties faced. These changes will be significant, as they will determine how much longer development of the VF-25 will continue.
Why the VF-25 remains an “unknown”
“Until we get on track, it’s quite nerve-wracking. That’s the truth,” Team Principal Ayao Komatsu admitted frankly in Miami, highlighting how even the team itself is unable to precisely assess the car’s potential without direct track feedback. This uncertainty stems from the complexity of the issue.
Although pre-race simulations can provide an estimate of where and when bouncing might occur, virtual data is not as reliable as real-world track data. This is why the first laps on track are so important for Haas. It’s not unusual for engineers to immediately ask drivers over the radio whether they feel oscillations, in an attempt to detect any critical signs—especially at the start of a session or after significant setup changes.
As Komatsu explained, just a few laps are enough to determine whether the car is bouncing. However, this assessment requires valuable time, particularly during sprint weekends, where the only free practice session is immediately followed by qualifying. Furthermore, after the sprint race, when parc fermé is reopened, there’s no chance to validate setup changes before heading back out for the main qualifying session.
“We lose part of Friday trying to understand whether the issue appears—doing ride height or setup tests—when instead we should already be on track in FP1 with a solid base, focusing on tyres and balance. But we always find ourselves one step behind—and that makes everything even harder during sprint weekends,” Komatsu explained.
For this reason, it’s not surprising to see the two Haas drivers in very different positions in the standings at certain races, as even small setup variations can have a significant impact. Haas is doing a lot of experimentation on the setup side, and both Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman—whose technical sensitivity Komatsu praised despite being a rookie—have made themselves available.
The Imola upgrades will be decisive for the VF-25’s future
That feedback is vital because bouncing, which has plagued many teams in the past including top outfits, is extremely difficult to predict with these ground-effect cars. On smoother asphalt, which allows the car to run lower, the problem tends to diminish—but even Haas doesn’t fully understand the phenomenon.
And that’s not surprising: the complexity of bouncing is one of the central challenges in the ground-effect era. “I wouldn’t say we fully understand it yet. If we did, we’d be confident in introducing a solution that completely eliminates the issue in the future,” Komatsu said.
“There are aspects we understand, but we don’t fully grasp every single variable… There are still doubts about how certain dynamics are triggered. We don’t have complete control over the situation yet. That said, every time we go on track, we make progress. If we manage to achieve the consistency we’re looking for, then we could aim to establish a stable presence in the midfield.”
“I think the reaction has been positive. We don’t understand everything yet, but we have a decent understanding that allows us to improve the car, as seen in Suzuka. That gives us confidence that the next package we’ll introduce at Imola should at least go in the right direction—but the big question is: will it be enough or not?”
The Imola package will effectively determine the future of the VF-25—whether development will continue or if focus will shift to 2026, as Williams, for example, has already done. Haas has not yet decided when to turn its full attention to next year, but a decision will also depend on the results from the upgrades introduced at Imola.
“We haven’t decided yet. It’s not a definitive decision—it’ll depend on what the Imola updates give us. Almost every team will bring something new. And where will that place us? Because right now, when we show up at a GP, we could be fifth or ninth. And that’s not a good enough position,” Komatsu added.
“After Imola we’ll know whether something has changed: have we fallen behind the competition? Have we improved? Then of course, we have our own goals, and those will influence the decision. But clearly, this decision will also have consequences for 2026.”
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