Ferrari and Haas under fire as FIA was asked to…

Several F1 teams are reportedly growing suspicious about Haas’ superb start to the 2022 season.

Three F1 teams have reportedly called on the FIA to check out suspicious car similarities between Ferrari’s F1-75 and Haas’ VF-22. Both teams have enjoyed stellar starts to the year with the Prancing Horse blazing a trail in both championships and Gunther Steiner’s Haas regularly featuring in the points.

Things have changed dramatically in the three races so far this season. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has won two of them, claiming second behind Max Verstappen in the other, while Haas star Kevin Magnussen already has more points on the board than the likes of Daniel Ricciardo and Fernando Alonso.

Ferrari and Haas under fire as FIA was asked to…

Auto Motor und Sport claim that, although no teams have owned up, three have asked the FIA to check on ‘matches’ between the Ferrari and Haas cars. McLaren, Aston Martin, Alpine and Mercedes have been deemed the most likely crop of telltales.

Silver Arrows boss Toto Wolff previously remarked with a tinge of suspicion: “Haas took a huge leap forward from last place. It’s an interesting step.

“It’s a learning curve for us because as an organization of 2,000 people that has been successful in the past, we’re now struggling with teams that are much smaller. They must have done a great job.”

Alpine team principle Otmar Szafnauer added: “Haas is a small team that jumped from last to third place over the winter. That comes as a bit of a surprise.

“I expected the balance of power to change with such a big rule reform changes little because it favours the teams that have more know-how and better infrastructure. But I am convinced that the FIA will investigate the case and come to the right conclusions about how similar these two cars are.”

Haas have clearly benefitted from Ferrari’s flat and compact engine this season, while they legally buy suspension and pivot points from the Prancing Horse too. Some similarities are therefore to be expected, but Haas’ F1 competitors are seemingly exploiting every opportunity to try and claw back some ground. It remains to be seen whether the FIA will take action.

While Alpine have stagnated in the middle of the pack since the sweeping regulation changes were introduced, Mercedes’ issues have been well-publicised as they struggle to keep pace with Red Bull and Ferrari. Solid reliability leaves them second in the Constructors’ Championship, but prospects of a race victory when both of their rivals avoid disaster remain slim.

Action at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix will get underway towards the end of this week as Ferrari aim to build on their superb start and Haas youngster Mick Schumacher vies for his first F1 points to add to Magnussen’s early heroics.