As a team, Haas has massively struggled with pit stops this season. They are one of the most crucial aspects of an F1 weekend for any team and can determine the outcome of a race. A mistake made while pitting can lead to huge repercussions for the driver and team.
Haas has the slowest average pit stop time of all teams in 2022. This has often led to them losing out on positions during races, which cost them time and points. In a recent interview, Kevin Magnussen revealed the reason behind these slow stops.
The Dane did not blame the crew for these errors and even labeled them as great mechanics. Haas’ equipment on the other hand is something that Magnussen criticized. The former McLaren driver called them old and outdated, which makes it difficult for the mechanics to execute a stop flawlessly.
Haas is a team that has struggled financially over the last few years, and this is something that prevents them from investing in new pit equipment.
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Money is the reason behind poor pit stop form, says Kevin Magnussen
Money plays a massive role in determining whether an F1 team will be successful or not. The most successful outfits of all time have always been the ones with deep pockets, and that is something Haas lacks for now.
“Money. And money, again,” Magnussen said when asked about Haas’ poor pitstops. “Our pit stop equipment, guns, jacks, lights, everything. Our tools are from 2016. It’s 2022 now. They’re just old.”
Kmag shed some light on Haas’ pit stops and what the problem is:
“Money. And money, again. Our pit stop equipment, guns, jacks, lights, everything. Our tools are from 2016. It’s 2022 now. They’re just old. This is why pit stops are slow, it’s not because our mechanics are bad.“
— Ally (@aleahbec) November 3, 2022
“Besides that, we are a small team with a limited number of employees, so our mechanics don’t have time to train that much. It’s just harder for them than the ones on other teams.
Haas to get $60 million injection from MoneyGram in next three years
Haas lost out on Uralkali as their Title sponsor after Russia declared war on Ukraine earlier this year. The American team decided to cancel their contract with the Russian company even though they paid a lot of money.
Introducing the new MoneyGram Haas F1 Team! 🚨
We are thrilled to announce that @MoneyGram will become our new title sponsor for the 2023 season and beyond 🤝#HaasF1 #MoneyGramDrivesYou pic.twitter.com/miuXJRtB2k
— Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) October 20, 2022
A lot of people questioned if Gene Haas would be able to continue to fund the team independently, but team principal Guenther Steiner insisted they would be fine. Earlier this month, it was revealed that MoneyGram had struck a $20 million-a-year deal with the Kannapolis-based outfit. This will be a three year deal, and will be of huge financial help for them.
