Haas Formula may defer F1 entry to 2016

2015 F1 season

Posted on

| Written by

Gene Haas admitted his Formula One team may not appear in the sport until 2016.

The NASCAR team founder was granted an entry to F1 by the FIA last week. However speaking at a press conference he said his new team, which will be called Haas Formula, may not enter for another year.

“Hopefully I would say within four weeks or so I would say we should have an idea which year we are going to pursue,” said Haas.

“I would like to do 2015 simply because I think the first year is going to be a difficult year no matter what happens. It’s a very big challenge and part of that learning curve is just simply getting to the track and sorting out the logistics of going from race to race and the sooner we learn that the sooner we will be done with that.

“I would like 2015 but depending on who we selected with our partner I don’t know if they can provide all the infrastructure and technology we would need. I think it’s one of those things we’re going to have to find out in the next few weeks.”

“The FIA has basically told us we have to elect which year we want to participate in and I think there’s a timetable sometime around June to do that,” Haas added.

“I think 2015 is too close and 2016 is too far, so that’s kind of where I see it. If we wake up in 2016 we’re just going to start delaying and strategising and we’re going to end up spending even more money because we’ll just basically be in a neutral position until maybe the middle next year.”

Haas said the team intend to rely on third party constructors for car development as far as the rules will allow them to.

“Right now we’re in the middle of next year for the 2015 series so what we need to do is we need to come up with a plan where we can basically arrive with a car – and I’ll use the word ‘customer car’ even though it’s not acceptable in Formula One – where we can arrive with a car that’s based on our partners’ technology within the rules of the FIA.

“That’s what we need to do and really what our goal is. It’s as simple as that – we’re going to have to beg, borrow or steal whatever we can to arrive at that first race so we can compete.

“It’s more important to arrive at the first race and have a car that the wheels don’t fall off of and we have a team to get that car on the track and be competitive, than it is what we bring to the track.

“That’s really what the goal is, it’s a tough decision and it’s something that we’ll have to figure out in the next few weeks. It won’t be easy, but obviously it’s real crucial. We say we’re going to be there in 2015, it’s going to be a crunch, but that’s the decision we make that what we’ll do.”

2015 F1 season


Browse all 2015 F1 season articles

Image © NASCAR/Getty

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.

29 comments on “Haas Formula may defer F1 entry to 2016”

  1. At least he is being relatively sensible about it. I am sure we would all rather they wait a season and at least qualify for each race rather than rush the entry and end up failing to qualify for any races.

  2. If they can somehow manage to get a car on the gird in 2015 then it’ll be better than to wait for 2016. Like he said, the first year will always be difficult so might as well use 2015 as a learning experience and then a proper go in 2016. I hear someone called Stefano and Bob Bell are available…should get on the phone to them too.

    1. Never hurts to have a ton of experienced people all bunched into a single organization.

      Ask Mercedes.

      1. Just use 2015 as a learning year, and then prepare for battle in 2016!

        1. GB (@bgp001ruled)
          15th April 2014, 3:35

          YEAH! just like caterham, marussia and best of all, HRT!

    2. And Ross Brawn.

  3. “I think 2015 is too close and 2016 is too far, so that’s kind of where I see it. If we wake up in 2016 we’re just going to start delaying and strategising and we’re going to end up spending even more money because we’ll just basically be in a neutral position until maybe the middle next year.”

    Could they possibly do what Toyota did and spend the best part of a year in 2015 testing ahead of their joining the grid for racing in 2016?

    1. And can they have that wind tunnel running 24 hours a day until they do start racing?

  4. If I were in Haas’ organization, I’d get in touch with some people from the 2010 ‘new’ teams. Not to hire them (when’s the last time Mike Gascoyne was considered a good designer?), but to see what problems they ran into and what part of the planning-element of it all made their entry in 2010 so hard.

    That being said, I hope Haas remains as communicative as he is now. Weekly press releases might not be necessary, but I remember in 2009 the rumors around Manor and Campos Meta did little to convince people (and probably sponsors) to get on board.

    1. Good comment

    2. Only problem with that is they wont be able to give much advice if any on the new formula since they haven’t been in the sport for a little while.

  5. It’s as simple as that – we’re going to have to beg, borrow or steal whatever we can to arrive at that first race so we can compete.
    Mr Haas obviously knows exactly how F1 is run and what he’ll need to do to survive.

  6. If Toyota taught us something is that no matter that you’ve spent 2 years testing and developing, it doesn’t guarantee anything. I’d throw up a simple design, aim to beat Caterham and Marussia and then, in 2016, attack real serious. A Honda deal wouldn’t hurt, but fitting Mercs is a safe gamble, judging by the current circumstances.

    1. Toyota had an absolutely abysmal management structure, though. They were not allowed to do anything without permission from Tokyo. Regardless of resources, you’re going to waste a lot of time, which is everything in F1.

      American business culture is just about the polar opposite of Japanese business culture (apart from hierarchy, maybe) so I expect Haas to use their resources a lot better than Toyota.

      1. BMW didn’t have the distance constraint, yet look at their effort.

    2. 2015 with the updated Ferarri PU and 2016 with whatever it takes if Ferarri can’t cut the mustard.

    3. Chetan Chohan
      15th April 2014, 12:18

      Toyota’s issue was the fact that they had designed a V12 to use with their car, but the regulations later got changed to only allow V10’s.

  7. Instead of spending hundreds of millions, make a deal with McLaren who is looking for a title sponsor. “Haas-McLaren Automation”
    2 Happy parties…

    1. 2 BIG egos.

    2. I’d say its more likely, (and possibly even cheaper) to just buy Marussia, Caterham, or STR. Or invest a bit more to get Sauber or FI.

  8. I don’t know why, but I like this fellow. Haas seems dreamy and realistic at the same time.
    He says the first year is always going to be hard. Ok, thats true. So experience is key is a little bit of what he is saying. I think 2015 would be a good year to learn with a Dallara chassis and then build on that for the next year.

  9. I agree with others here that 2015 would be best if they can make it happen. It’s going to be very difficult no matter how you do it, so it would be better to get on track as soon as possible for the simple exercise of gaining experience for the team personnel (mechanics, engineers, etc.), and even more importantly to collect a year’s worth of telemetry which even for a back marker has got to be far more valuable than the shooting in the dark that inevitably will occur their first year in competition.

    1. They will definitely need the telemetry and GPS data for their shaker rig.

    2. 2015 is not going to happen though. They do not have the engine deal in place yet and no team to develop the car, and they are going to have to do it without live data, so it will be a harder job to do. All current teams are already further with their designs for next year by now and they know what they are doing. I think 2016 is the earliest they can make it (unless buying an outfit) realistically @us_peter.

  10. Adrian Martinez
    14th April 2014, 20:51

    Hire Ross Brawn and steal Adrian Newey from RB. Rescue RoGro from Lotus and see if he can get Botas or the Hulk in car 2.

  11. I like the fact that Haas has come out and said that his ultimate goal is to turn Haas Automation into a premium brand. He isnt beating around the bush, his primary focus is business. Unlike the likes of Tony Fernandes and Vijay Malaya, who never come clean about their true motives behind getting into F1.

    A good move by Haas. Markets such as China, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Russia and Brazil have much potential, and this is probably where Haas has his eye on.

    On the racing front, Haas and team have had lots of experience in racing, obviously not F1, but I think with their corporate mindset, they might fit F1 better than some of their contemporaries.

  12. GB (@bgp001ruled)
    15th April 2014, 3:42

    i definitely wont root for an american team, but hope they make it in 2015 and are competitive. anything for a full grid! and hopefully the romanians and the serbians come aboard, too!!! but not just to show up, like caterham and marussia, but to get to compete like force india!!!

  13. and have a car that the wheels don’t fall off of

    Better not, indeed. Quite an expensive mistake by here :)

  14. I am hoping for an American team with BMW engines.Hopefully that will come to fruition if they wait until 2016.

Comments are closed.