Haas in new simulator "rehearsal" during Abu Dhabi GP
Haas will carry out a dress rehearsal programme with its new Formula 1 simulator during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as part of its preparation for 2020.
The American-owned outfit has spent this year working with Dallara on creating a bespoke facility at the racing car constructor’s Italian headquarters that can be used on F1 weekends to help nail the best car setup.
F1’s top outfits all regularly use simulators throughout the days and nights on race weekends to evaluate where car improvements can be made. Haas is now ready to trial using its simulator for the first time.
Team boss Gunther Steiner said: “We will start to use it this weekend, but just as a trial to see if everything works. Then hopefully we've got everything in place for next year and we can use it over all the weekends.”
Steiner explained that he was not expecting this week’s simulator work, which will be conducted by Pietro Fittipaldi, to be about helping with car performance for the final F1 race of the season.
“It will not be a help for the racetrack, it will be more if the system works,” he explained.
“It is about if we have got everything in place, if we can communicate efficiently, and if everything works how we wanted to work.
“It is basically a rehearsal of the process, not of the performance of the car. Maybe we get something out for the performance, but the aim is not that one. It's more like to try the system out."
The increased role that the simulator will take in 2020 is one of the reasons why Haas is interested in signing an experienced driver like Robert Kubica to help with those duties.
Steiner added: “Obviously Robert has got a lot of experience. I think we have got alternatives because we worked really hard on it this year.
"The good thing with Robert would be that he has done that before. So he knows what he needs to do.”
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