Haas Reveals Special Livery for US Grand Prix at COTA

Haas has unveiled a tweaked livery for the upcoming United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), continuing its tradition of special, one-off designs for its home race. This marks the third successive season that COTA will host an F1 Sprint weekend, adding an extra layer of challenge with only one practice session before competitive action begins.

Why it matters:

Haas, the sole American team on the F1 grid, views the US Grand Prix as its home event. Special liveries at COTA not only engage the passionate American fanbase but also often coincide with strategic moves, such as upgrade packages, highlighting the team's commitment to performance in front of a crucial audience. Scoring points at their home race would be a significant morale booster and a testament to their ongoing development efforts.

The Details:

• COTA as a Venue: Located in Austin, Texas, COTA has been a fixture on the F1 calendar since 2012. Its unique layout features the steep incline of Turn 1 (Big Red), high-speed esses, a lengthy back straight for overtaking into Turn 12, and the iconic triple-apex Turns 16/17/18.
• Sprint Weekend Format: The US Grand Prix will again feature an F1 Sprint. This format means teams have only one Free Practice 1 session on Friday to evaluate car setups and any new upgrades before Sprint Qualifying and the Sprint Race on Saturday, followed by the main Grand Prix on Sunday.
• Haas's Ambitions: Team Principal Ayao Komatsu expressed excitement for the home race, emphasizing the goal of getting both drivers into point-scoring positions. This ambition follows Oliver Bearman's recent point-scoring finish in Singapore.
• Upgrade Package: Haas is bringing a 'small upgrade package' to COTA. The Sprint format will make the evaluation of these upgrades particularly challenging, requiring the team to be effective from the very first practice session.
• Driver Experience: Esteban Ocon has considerable experience at COTA, with seven previous starts and a best finish of sixth in 2017. In contrast, Oliver Bearman will be making his debut at the US Grand Prix, an experience he anticipates will be