Haas VF-20

The Haas VF-20 is a Formula One racing car designed and constructed by Haas to compete during the 2020 Formula One World Championship.^[1] The car was driven by Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen, who competed for Haas for the fourth consecutive year.^[2][3] Due to a crash in the Bahrain Grand Prix, reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi replaced Grosjean at the Sakhir and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix. The car was planned to make its competitive debut at the 2020 Australian Grand Prix, but this was delayed when the race was cancelled and the next three events in Bahrain, Vietnam and China were postponed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[4][5] The VF-20 made its debut at the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix.

Haas VF-20

A VF-20 driven by Romain Grosjean during the 2020 Formula One pre-season testing.
Category	Formula One
Constructor	Haas F1 Team
Designer(s)	Rob Taylor (Chief Designer) Ben Agathangelou (Chief Aerodynamicist)
Predecessor	Haas VF-19
Successor	Haas VF-21
Technical specifications
Tyres	Pirelli
Competition history
Notable entrants	Haas F1 Team
Notable drivers	08. Romain Grosjean 20. Kevin Magnussen 51. Pietro Fittipaldi
Debut	2020 Austrian Grand Prix
Last event	2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Races Wins Podiums Poles F/Laps 17 0 0 0 0

Initial design

Magnussen during the pre-season testing

The Haas VF-20 is powered by the 2020 Ferrari power unit, paired to a 2019 Ferrari 8-speed gearbox.^[6] The design features several similarities to the Ferrari SF90 used by Ferrari in the 2019 Formula One World Championship.^[7]

Competition history

Grosjean at the Tuscan Grand Prix

The beginning of the 2020 season marked a rough start for Haas as both drivers retired with brake failure. As with the previous year's entry, the VF-19, the car struggled with consistency issues. These problems were especially apparent at the Spanish Grand Prix, with the car being two seconds slower during the race on Sunday than it was during the first practice session two days earlier.^[8] A lack of grip from the chassis, as well as a lack of power from their customer Ferrari power units, relegated Haas to the back of the grid alongside fellow Ferrari customer team, Alfa Romeo, and Williams (powered by a Mercedes engine).

Legacy

The wreckage of Grosjean's car on display, pictured in 2023.

The remains of the Haas VF-20 driven by Romain Grosjean in the Bahrain Grand Prix is currently on exhibition in a new museum dedicated to Formula One in Madrid.^[9]

Complete Formula One results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Power unit	Tyres	Driver name	Grands Prix																	Points	WCC
2020	Haas F1 Team	Ferrari	P		AUT	STY	HUN	GBR	70A	ESP	BEL	ITA	TUS	RUS	EIF	POR	EMI	TUR	BHR	SKH	ABU	3	9th
				Romain Grosjean	Ret	13	16	16	16	19	15	12	12	17	9	17	14	Ret	Ret
				Pietro Fittipaldi																17	19
				Kevin Magnussen	Ret	12	10	Ret	Ret	15	17	Ret	Ret	12	13	16	Ret	17†	17	15	18

Notes

• ^† Driver failed to finish the race, but was classified as they had completed over 90% of the winner's race distance.

References

1. "Haas releases images of 2020 car". Speedcafe. 6 February 2020. Archived from the original on 26 November 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
2. Herrero, Daniel (28 September 2018). "Haas to take unchanged line-up into 2019". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
3. Khorounzhiy, Valentin (19 September 2019). "Grosjean keeps Haas F1 seat for 2020". motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
4. Coch, Mat (13 March 2020). "Confirmed: F1 cancelled at Australian Grand Prix". Archived from the original on 10 April 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
5. "Bahrain and Vietnam Grands Prix postponed". formula1.com. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
6. "Haas VF-20 - F1technical.net". www.f1technical.net.
7. "COMPARED: The VF-20 compared to last year's Haas and Ferrari". www.gptoday.com.
8. "Steiner wants answers after Haas lose two seconds of pace from Friday to Sunday in Spain". Formula 1. Liberty Media. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
9. "Grosjean's fire-damaged Bahrain F1 car to go on display". 21 February 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2023.

External links