The 2024 Components 1 season is about to enter its closing act.
Subsequent week’s United States Grand Prix kicks off the ultimate six race weekends of the 2024 season, and the competitors is tight all through the standings. On the Drivers’ Championship facet, Max Verstappen holds a 52-point lead over Lando Norris, with Charles Leclerc 86 factors behind Verstappen.
Issues are much more fascinating within the Constructors’ Championship, the place McLaren presently leads Crimson Bull by 41 factors, with Ferrari sitting in third, simply 34 factors behind Crimson Bull.
These should not the one battles that can play out over the ultimate six race weekends of the 2024 F1 season. The combat for sixth is one other fascinating conflict, with Visa Money App RB F1 Group holding a slim three-point lead over Haas.
Nonetheless, Haas has scored factors in three straight races, and Group Principal Ayao Komatsu is trying ahead to that midfield combat with VCARB down the stretch.
“We’ve now scored factors in three consecutive races, and I feel it’s fairly spectacular in case you look again at consistency,” stated Komatsu in his month-to-month replace for Haas followers. “Trying again to earlier seasons, we haven’t scored an entire lot within the second half of the yr. This season, out of 18 races, we’ve scored factors in half of them. We had three unhealthy occasions; Monaco, Hungary and Spa, and in Bahrain we completed P12. In all places else, we’ve completed P11, which is extremely encouraging because it’s not been about luck, it’s been about bettering persistently.”
Komatsu hailed Nico Hülkenberg’s ninth-place end on the Singapore Grand Prix, in addition to the veteran driver’s qualifying effort that weekend, which noticed him begin sixth.
Nico attaining P6 in qualifying was the fruits of everybody reacting so nicely from FP1, we then operationally delivered a near-perfect qualifying session,” stated Komatsu. “Nico scoring two factors was nice. Nonetheless, it’s extra than simply in regards to the consequence. It’s how we achieved it and the way nicely we labored as a crew to get it.”
Komatsu additionally praised younger Oliver Bearman, who stepped in on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Kevin Magnussen served a one-race penalty. Bearman, who will drive for Haas full-time subsequent season, completed tenth in Baku.
“Ollie stayed calm and handled every little thing very nicely, particularly when the yellow flag got here out throughout a vital interval within the first qualifying session,” stated Komatsu. “He was kicking himself for not moving into Q3 as a result of he didn’t produce the right lap, nevertheless it was nonetheless a very good consequence.
“Within the race, he was a bit too conservative throughout his first stint. However, in his second stint, he was matching Nico and got here away with some extent, which was fairly spectacular and reveals his potential.”
All informed, Haas now enters the season’s closing act simply three factors behind VCARB. Because the grid’s solely American crew, they’ve a pair of dwelling races to stay up for, beginning with the USA Grand Prix subsequent week in Austin.
“The following race on the calendar is a particular one for MoneyGram Haas F1 Group, the USA Grand Prix. Being America’s F1 Group carries numerous expectation and it all the time feels totally different racing at dwelling,” Komatsu stated. “The Circuit of The Americas feels just like the US race for die-hard F1 followers, and with our Title Sponsor MoneyGram, additionally primarily based in Texas, it’s going to be a busy week of actions and occasions – which, I get pleasure from greater than I assumed I might!
“As I’ve already mentioned, we’ll be bringing one other replace in Austin, however extra particulars to come back throughout race week, together with a couple of different surprises. In spite of everything, it wouldn’t be a US race and not using a new look, wouldn’t it?”
The Haas boss then famous that the crew is simply three factors behind VCARB, and they’re “targeted” on that combat.
“You may by no means look behind, that’s my philosophy. In the event you hold trying behind you, you’re notgoing to go ahead. The midfield combat is extremely tight with extraordinarily positive margins, however we’re all the time seeking to enhance,” stated Komatsu. “I’m targeted on the three factors to RB we have to obtain P6 within the Constructors’ Championship.”
SB Nation can be on the bottom for subsequent week’s United States Grand Prix, so keep tuned for extra from Circuit of the Americas.
