The technical drawings of the designers have already materialized, the engines have done their first kilometers on the dyno, and il Bahrain it is always closer. The season seems to have ended yesterday, yet the circus doesn't know the word 'holiday'. Everything is ready, including the riders' desire to burn the asphalt. There Haas is no less, with surprising results that bode well for 2023.
From rags to riches, the journey of the Haas
The US team started last season with a bold initiative, betting on Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin. The choice was one of perspective, giving both drivers a year to get used to the top flight, in order to aim for 2022 for the relaunch. The team has gone from a 2021 with zero points in the pocket and a last position in the constructors, to a 2022 with 37 points and an eighth position in the standings. Thanks to the fact of having made a minimum of developments - which did not happen the year before -, and to have reported Magnussen alongside the Kayser's son, the team did not live a 2022 below expectations.
Eyes to 2023, we start from the line ups
The Dane contributed more than half of the points (25), while Mick brought home 12. Not bad for a sophomore, however, the team chose to put him aside to make way for a former driver. Schumacher will go to Mercedes as a third guide, e Nico Hulkenberg will take his place. The Kannapolis stable retraces his steps by focusing on an expert couple, a sign that the money guaranteed by a good placement in builders is preferred to the role of cradle for an emerging player.
The outgoing German certainly didn't hurt, but considering it like other names of the same generation is a mistake. Mick showed malice but also cleanliness in the melee, just think about the duel against Verstappen at Silverstone. However, the number 47 did not leave Gene Haas' wallet alone, asking extra funds for frequent accidents. The decision to bet on a veteran isn't crazy, on the contrary, it could pay off if Hulkenberg's potential results are added to Magnussen's already good ones.
The Haas-so up his sleeve
The stable does not sleep, on the contrary, it puts itself forward. Steiner's men have already provided for the first key step before 2023: the homologation of the frame, effectively declaring that he had started thinking about the new project well in advance. In short, the fight in the middle of the standings is increasingly close, and Haas doesn't want to be caught unprepared.
The real trump card, however, is another one, namely the heart of the single-seater. Haas is a customer Ferrari, and according to the latest rumors, the Modenese engine should be a 'bomb'. What can play against the team is a possible exit of the technical director Simone Resta, a man of experience and depth. However, if Steiner should, in case, find a valid alternative, he will be able to start dreaming for 2023, strengthened by an experienced line-up and a more powerful and reliable power unit.
