The Italo-American team has taken to the track for the first time with the car that will compete in the 2025 World Championship. The VF-25, developed between Varano de Melegari and Maranello, presents intriguing new features while maintaining continuity with past designs. With its debut approaching, Haas has run the VF-25 on track, but leaks have revealed some interesting novelties, especially regarding the rear wing.
Unchanged suspension layout as a sign of continuity
The VF-25 has chosen to continue using the same suspension setup as in 2024, inherited from the SF-24. This means that, unlike the SF-25, the VF-25 will feature a push-rod front suspension. This choice signals a divergence from the Maranello team but allows the Italo-American outfit to focus its financial and technical resources on the 2026 car.
At the rear, the VF-25 retains the updated pull-rod suspension inherited from the SF-25. Following encouraging results in 2024, this system has undergone internal kinematic updates to improve and correct the limitations seen last season. Changes include different spring calibrations, optimized dampers, and improved anti-roll bars.
Haas VF-25 aerodynamics: front changes and improved rear
The aerodynamics of the VF-25 have been altered in several key areas. Most notably, the car’s nose now closely resembles that of the 2022 F1-75, featuring a mounting point on the first flap and a pronounced bulge for optimal airflow separation toward the sidepods. The front wing design remains unclear but is believed to be an evolution of the one seen in Texas.
Significant modifications are evident in the sidepods, where the undercut has been increased to channel more airflow toward the rear of the car. The engine cover retains a geometry similar to 2024 but with subtle hints of the “cannon” cooling concept seen on the RB20.
However, the most surprising element is the construction of the rear wing, which features an entirely new geometry with significant advantages. This is not an entirely original Haas concept; rather, the team’s engineers have taken inspiration from a 2024 W15 solution and pushed it to the extreme.
By closely analyzing the leaked photo and our exclusive graphic, it is evident that the mainplane of the rear wing detaches from the endplate earlier than usual. This design leads to an earlier separation of the wing element before the trailing edge, providing key aerodynamic benefits.
The early separation allows the rear wing to enhance high-pressure airflow extraction by “combining” it with low-pressure air. As the airflow moves over the wing towards the lateral cut, it encounters the low-pressure zone, which draws it in, significantly improving extraction and downforce generation. Additionally, this merging effect enhances the rear wing’s efficiency, contributing to a higher top speed.
It remains unclear how Haas has structured the wing assembly, but constructing the mainplane required extensive studies to prevent excessive flexing. The core of the wing, besides incorporating high-density Nomex foam, also features longitudinal titanium inserts to reinforce the structure and minimize flex.
The countdown is nearly over to see the new Haas VF-25 in its final form, as it will officially hit the track for pre-season testing in just a few days.
Leave a Reply