Hello first of all thank you for
meeting with me first of all.
And I think we should get right into it, so.
First of all, what would it take
to get an American driver for Haas?
Because y'all are the only
American that led team.
It's going to be very America focused.
Sorry, we're in. We're in Texas.
What would it take to get an American driver?
Because you got K mag and
then you now have Hulk and.
I think that's like the one
thing Americans want to see.
Absolutely and we would like to see it,
but but I think the answer is not
as simple what would it take?
I mean what would it take is,
is a consequence so.
I've I I think what we need to to
see is to make a development of
an American driver which is very
difficult and we had the last two
years two years ago with two rookies
last year with one rookie and he
has a team are still very young.
You know we are not we are still the
newest team in Formula One and I think.
For us in the moment there
is more performance.
Could be gained for the team to make
it better to get ready because and
in the moment there is no American
driver with experience in Formula One.
Therefore we decided not to take
an American again, you know,
So what does it take?
It would take an American driver
which has experienced and that
is not there in the moment.
Somebody is going to make
experience with Williams, you know,
which is a very good thing, I see.
I think. But I'm a little bit.
I wouldn't say disappointed
because that's the wrong word,
but what I would like to see
a little bit more,
a little bit more support for
Sergeant Logan's former America,
because there is an American comic, TF1.
And there's not a lot of.
Things around it, you know I missed
that a little bit because I was.
So we want an American driver.
I want to make a driver.
OK, hasn't got an American driver but I still
support Sergeant Rotis doing because he,
he puts her feet in very cold water here,
you know, so, but they got a lot behind it.
So there is I I would say there
is no American driver or not.
I think there is no American driver with
experience in F1 and there is one which
is going to make it and he needs all
the support he can get in the moment.
And I don't think in the moment it's there.
So hopefully it comes, you know,
because I wish that he makes experience
and then once he has made experience,
he comes to us,
the American team.
How about that?
That
is the perfect answer. Correct. You see, I
said it a little bit longer
than one word, you know,
but we got it, I think.
But I think now having 3 tracks in
America will increase that hype as well,
just seeing on the reaction to the
Vegas race being released as well.
And what does?
I know you can't give me details because
it's not seasoned pre season right now,
but what does the strategy for this
season look like compared to last year's?
I I think our strategies just we
made a good step from 21 to 22
performance wise and we just want
to continue to do that like we did
in the beginning when we came to
Formula One before we get before we
got into the pandemic where we fell
back here quite a bit, you know.
So we just want to keep on going
and keep on getting better.
With Hulkenberg now replacing Schumacher,
Umm how is he going to help
carry the team this season?
Because he's known for his strength
and stamina in addition to all of
the support he brings formerly.
Formerly when he was in F1,
what do you envision with
him now on your team?
I I think what has been happening for
Kevin is just a reference I mean uh
performance wise at that point wise I,
I, I I rate them pretty equally
you know so I think I that is our
aim that they push each other you
know to get better you know if, if.
On this particular Battleborn corners,
an example that he looks at his teammate and
hopefully he's good there so he improved.
So to have that one, which was very
difficult because Nick was a rookie.
It wasn't that he didn't have talent,
he was just he was learning.
And therefore I go back to the rookie thing.
You know as a team we want to move up
and the best thing to do that is with
experienced drivers and we had the same
scenario when we started in the form we
took experienced drivers straight away,
you know, so that is what we
what we want to pick up again.
Uh, justice consistent?
Getting better.
Yeah, and actually Speaking of that, Umm,
I think my highlight from last season
was K Mags P1 finish in Interlagos,
which was phenomenal,
which now all eyes are on y'all
for that with now the addition of
a total of 23 tracks this year
and Hulkenberg being added.
How is the strategy for K9 to replicate
this step for Haas and then maintain
that endurance that's necessary to
earn a podium finish this season?
I I think they they they they
won last year it came unexpected.
We we took an opportunity it was
given to everybody and we took it.
We were there where they need to be
taken and that is the that is the
strategy with the with the podium.
You know in the moment we cannot fight
for podium just with our own means.
There is some teams are just too strong
out there but if you put yourself
in a position that when you are
given the opportunity you are there
to take it then you can achieve it.
You know the. The biggest example
was passed last year with the,
with the, with the pole from Kmart,
you know, we knew it was coming.
We need to be, everything needs
to be perfect and we can do it,
you know, and we did it.
And it's the same with the
with the podium finish.
If you look back a few years,
there were some podium finishes
from midfield teams because they
put themselves in the position that
something went wrong for the big boys.
They picked up what was left so and we
need to put ourselves in that position some.
I will certainly agree.
I think in coming into this new season,
it's going to be very,
very interesting and very
exciting moving forward.
So what can fans expect to see
from your team coming into
this new season in addition
to everything that we've seen
in the last like 5-6 years?
I mean our our aim and hope is
that that that we that we just
get it get better and we can
fight for points every weekend,
you know, and normally.
Be never short of uh giving,
giving people some surprise or
some drama or or something unexpected,
you know, I think we are always
interesting for the spectator so,
but but our aim is just to improve our
results and be consistent in the points.
Um. To kind of veer out
just from a strategy wise,
I know that although you guys are
the only American based team,
the majority of your engineering side
is in the UK when how could if you
guys were able to move that to the US?
Very difficult to do,
very difficult to do.
It's just so much expertise in
the in Europe, in F1, you know,
I always say nothing is impossible,
but it is even made more difficult
now with the budget cut.
Because to move people you
need to offer something more.
And I think the United States are not
a cheap place to employ people as well.
So you always try to do the best
you can with within a budget cap.
So in a moment it would be not very,
not a positive move for the team to
move everything to the US you know,
I'm saying nothing is impossible.
I mean we all know that,
but would there be a wise?
Station, I don't think so in the moment,
so very difficult to do in the
moment and I know that I didn't give
you a proper answer to that one,
but in the moment there is no thought
about doing that because it would
put us back in the field quite a lot.
Yeah, I mean, I figured it was
a long shot, but, you know,
Hope springs eternal for America.
What can I say?
But because of the addition of the Las
Vegas track and now with 23 this year,
which track do you believe will give
you guys the most challenges this year?
I think a new track is always a challenge.
Vegas would be a challenge for everybody,
you know, because it's completely new.
We don't have any data of it
or very little data of it.
So I think this year Vegas will
be the biggest challenge because
we just haven't been there,
that being the reason.
Yeah, I think it just based
on how the track looks.
It's it's reminds me a lot of Monaco
and Monaco is notorious as you know.
It's a high speed Monaco, you know.
Yeah, exactly. Umm.
I I mean this is going to be the most
long shot question and it is totally
OK if you don't answer me on this.
I know that you probably won't tell
me when your livery announcement is.
But instead, the way I'm going
to ask you about it is. Will.
Is it going to be your best
livery yet in your opinion?
I mean having first of all we start
off with having money come on board,
it's a great, they are a great sponsor
and obviously delivery will be.
I wouldn't say different.
Uh, I think it will be a nice livery,
you know, will it be the best?
I mean, you know, that's taste.
I don't know what your tastes are,
what other people's tastes are.
I think you always try to do a nice delivery,
always thinking about those
performance on the car.
I mean people don't think that the liver
also is part of performing the car because
more paint you put on heavier car gets.
And in Formula One every,
every pound counts.
You know its performance.
So you always try to use.
Little uh paint as possible so you
know it will be interesting to see.
And I I don't think you have
to wait a lot longer now.
In a few weeks you will get to know about it,
how it looks and then you can
tell me if you like it or not,
if it is the best ever or not.
OK, I will hold you to that and
I will e-mail still about it.
Umm, but yeah, I mean even having
because the FIA made it the cars,
you have to now reach a lighter
weight like by two pounds,
which I'm guessing that 100% went into
y'all's decision with your livery,
be it top secret until February.
Correct. Yeah. And and they, they,
they the weight last year it was a
challenge for us I think for more,
for more teams, not only us and
it's always a challenge in the form,
but it's it's the easiest
performance you've got.
You need to be at minimum wage,
you know, and last year we didn't
achieve it and this year one of the
one of our things was we need to be at
minimum weight and everything counts,
you know, so as you say,
having a little bit of a lower weight,
£2.00, which is still a lot of weight.
To save, you know it's not as easy.
F1 is very challenging for the engineers.
Yeah, I every time I see
stuff about FBI regulations,
I I always get so worried for
yalls engineers because it
seems like one of the most,
the hardest kind of jobs out there.
Is there anything you can tell me
about the VF23 for Yalls upcoming
season or is that also under wraps?
You have some you need to wait
until brain test until you see it,
you know, because everybody
will tell you the same.
Every every team will, they say,
I don't tell you anything
until you see it yourself.
Yeah, I know. I just.
Maybe it was always it was
worth a shot. What can I say?
But that's really all I
have question wise for you.
Is there anything else that you would
want to tell fans specifically in
America to look forward to or to keep
their eye out for this upcoming year?
No, there is nothing specific,
but I I think what I appreciate with
the American fans they they a lot of
new people discovered the sport and
I think it's a sport which is very
interesting and more you watch it
more interested you get in Atlanta.
Now having three races which
are in their character,
I call a complete difference between them.
Obviously I cannot 100% Judge Las Vegas,
but I think we all know Las Vegas
and we know our expectations there.
You know what it will be
really biggest show on Earth.
You know so all of these trucks
have got something particular.
This is not a a cookie cut off.
You go to one note.
They are all very specific and now
I think people should take the
opportunity if they can and if they can
get tickets now to go to one of the
races to experience it even more if they,
if they got intrigued by Formula One
because I think it's a very interesting
sport and as much as you say there's
you know we have now an American
rookie driver and an American team I.
I think it will get more interesting
for America as a nation as
well the sport in the future.
So if you're on on both of
it in the beginning,
it's always a good starting point.
I I can't say anything more about
that because all of those points
are so correct it's the best.
Umm. I want to say thank you for
taking the time out of your busy
preseason schedule to speak with me.
It's been an honor.