Spa should favour the strengths of the VF24, hopes Haas

Formula One’s sole American outfit Haas hopes that the aero efficiency of its VF24 will help the team to end the opening part of the season on a high.

Haas drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen are keen to sign off before the summer recess on a positive note. Hulkenberg has contested 10 grands prix in Belgium, with a best result of fourth place in 2012 and 2016 respectively, while Magnussen’s eight starts at the venue have brought him a highest classification of eighth with Haas in 2018.

Having finished in the points multiple times in recent rounds, Hulkenberg finds himself on a high, expecting this trend to continue in Belgium.

“Spa is definitely like no other, always a great challenge and it being the last race before the summer break means you want to give it everything before a short rest.

“I’ve had good results here and with the car performing how it is, we should be hoping for a competitive weekend. For the summer break, I’m going to spend some days in Bavaria with the family. Mountains, chill and recharge and then back to training to be ready for the second half of the season.”

His team-mate Kevin Magnussen insists that his VF24 has been aerodynamically efficient which should play to its strengths at the fast, flowing Spa-Francorchamps track.

“Spa is one of my absolute favorite tracks in the world, and the closest to a home race – at least geographically – for me. It’s a circuit that everyone enjoys, through Eau Rouge is always a thrill, although it’s a pretty easy corner technically.

“We’ve been efficient on long straights so our strengths should come out and shine here. It’s always an exciting race with the weather being unpredictable and hopefully with our car, which by now has proven to be good at all tracks so far, we can have a good race there.”

Expanding on the fourtcoming weekend at Spa, Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu said that he is “looking forward to going back to Spa, it’s a pretty challenging circuit both in terms of car and driver.

“The circuit requires a pretty efficient car due to the long straights in sectors one and three and balancing that with the flowing sequence in sector two will be the challenge.

“Spa always provides interesting racing with plenty of overtaking opportunities and the famous weather in Spa-Francorchamps can always add to the excitement. I’m looking forward to finishing the final race before the shutdown on a high.