Can Ferrari’s Wind Tunnel Outperform Toyota’s for Haas F1?

Haas F1 favors Ferrari’s wind tunnel for its strategic benefits while integrating Toyota’s Cologne simulator to boost simulation efforts.

Haas F1 will not use Toyota’s wind tunnel in Cologne, as the team prefers to continue working at Ferrari’s Maranello facility, where the American team has offices. Ayao Komatsu, the team’s director, explains why he believes this is the better decision.

“In the near future, we have no intention of leaving Maranello’s wind tunnel,” says Komatsu. “For me, it’s a win-win situation. Ferrari and we compete in the same championship.”

“Whatever specific problem arises in the wind tunnel related to the current regulations, Ferrari researches it, addresses it, and we benefit without conducting our own research.”

“I don’t see the point of leaving Maranello’s simulator to switch to Toyota’s wind tunnel, which still lacks a rubberized floor. Sure, Andretti uses it, but they’re not competing in F1 yet.”

However, having access to Toyota’s simulator in Cologne is very good news: “If you look at the simulator, last year we certainly didn’t do more than 15 days. Which other teams only do 15 days of simulation?”

“During the race weekend, we don’t run any simulations at all. Again, I think that’s not the case for other teams. We simply don’t have that capacity. And with the Maranello simulator, it’s the only one we have access to. We simply can’t do it.”

“We have to send people there because the Maranello office is largely designed for staff not directly responsible for operational performance. That’s why having the simulator here would be a game-changer in terms of efficiency.”