Haas Head of Aero Davide Paganelli talks car development, driver feedback and how the team’s aerodynamics department actually works [Italian interview]

Davide Paganelli will host the Italian Haas event in Ferrara September 5 and 6 in Ferrara

Certo. Ecco la traduzione in inglese:
FERRARA MEETS THE
TGR HAAS F1 TEAM
EMOTION | TALENT | SPEED
DATE
Saturday, September 5 & Sunday, September 6, 2026
OPENING HOURS
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
ADDRESS
Sala ex Refettorio
19 Via Boccaleone
44121 Ferrara, Italy
FREE ADMISSION

Let me start by saying that my opinion comes from a person who only started watching F1 on a weekly basis when HAAS joined in 2016. I watched a few races per year prior, but not really invested until then. I've seen them battle for 5th in the Constructors and also have 0 points another year. The good and the bad.

We were clearly faster than Williams and Cadillac, and we're around the pace of Alonso who finished in the points.

This race was hampered by strategy. We got caught behind the two Cadillacs on hard tires and got overcut by Bortoleto, Alonso, and Albon.

Is the car as fast comparatively as it was at the start of the year? No. Are we still faster than 3 to 4 teams at most tracks? Yes.

Are most of the people here newer that cant remember years like 2021 where we couldn't even get a point and the highlight was Mick passing Latifi for p.19? Or 2023 where we were arguably the 4th fastest car over one lap but still finished last?

IDK, maybe my expectations are too low...

I almost wish the season hadn't started so good. It gave me so much hope in the midfield, but with each break we just seem to come back even worse.

had no expectations but theyre still disappointing me. i expected atleast a p20 finish but damn a double dnf😞😞😞

well i didnt expect much anyway for the second half of the season

Welcome back everyone… here we are again. No upgrades, so it’s going to be a disaster again. Can’t wait to fight with Williams and Cadillac.

Haas explains how budget limitations, inconsistent VF-26 components and slower development have stalled its impressive start to the 2026 Formula 1 season.

https://gp-news.net/haass-2026-breakthrough-has-hit-a-setback-and-money-is-only-part-of-the-problem/

What is Haas looking to do in the second half of the season in terms of upgrades? I haven’t seen a lot of news about their development plans coming out of the break.

I also saw that Ferrari is able to upgrade its engine through the ADUO program. Is Haas planning to take that Ferrari power-unit upgrade at the start of the second half as well?

Haas potentially could be Sainz's eventual seat?

Given his age, Haas F1 has confirmed they will not consider promoting Ryo Hirakawa (now 32) for a regular race seat in the future.

It would be better for Ryo Hirakawa to focus on the FIA ​​WEC—his true domain where he has a genuine shot at victory—rather than forcing a move to Formula 1 only to languish at the back of the grid.

Ryo Hirakawa does not want to repeat the failed F1 stints experienced by Allan McNish and Brendon Hartley.

This is a realistic assessment of the situation.

Thoughts on that?

Haas sits seventh after a strong 2026 start, but five races without points leave Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon awaiting a crucial VF-26 upgrade.

https://gp-news.net/haas-2026-mid-season-review-progress-stalls-as-crucial-vf-26-upgrade-approaches/

When I first heard this I didn't understand what had changed, but as it turns out the budget cap went up by a bunch. Its going to be a long season boys.

Hello! I need to ask a question to an Haas f1 team Member privately. If there is any team member reading, could you please contact me via DM? Thanks a lot, I hope I get helped!!

I'm watching the Hungry GP and it is just pain! I just saw Aston Martin take over our spot as a mid midfield team.

It begs the question: Does Gene even care or has Toyota already offered to buy and they are just waiting until the season is over?

We suck. Here’s how every quali goes without fail. One of our drivers does awful in Q1 and is eliminated (usually Ocon). The other barely squeaks by. And then in Q2 they’re almost always dead last. It’s not even worth watching the races anymore

I'm pretty new to F1. I've always known about the sport, but this season is the first time I've really gotten into it. I decided to support Haas because of the connection between their U.S. headquarters in Kannapolis, North Carolina, and my hometown in Virginia.

I've watched every race this season, and I have a few questions.

The biggest one is: why do Haas cars seem so much slower than the competition? They use Ferrari power units, and with Toyota now involved in the partnership, I expected the cars to be more competitive. Yet they seem to get pushed around on track almost every weekend.

For example, this past race Hadjar started effectively at the back after an early setback, made three pit stops, and still fought his way to P6. Meanwhile, Bearman was running in P10 at one point but gradually got overtaken and couldn't hold position.

So is Haas' biggest issue the drivers or the car? Bearman looks very talented, and Ocon has a lot of experience, but neither seems able to consistently fight for points. Is the car simply not capable of competing with the midfield?

I'm also curious about Toyota's role. What are they actually contributing to Haas? I've seen speculation that Toyota partnered with Haas because it's the smallest team and could eventually become a full works entry. There have been rumors in Japan that Toyota really wants to return to F1. During the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, the commentators even mentioned that possibility and said Toyota has already started placing some of its drivers in Haas machinery to gather data and experience. Haas is also using Toyota's facilities in Germany.

Could this partnership eventually become something similar to Audi's takeover of Sauber? From the outside, it feels like that could be where things are headed, but maybe I'm reading too much into it.

Finally, I've also read that Gene Haas runs the team on a relatively lean budget and relies heavily on sponsorship funding. I've even seen comments from Ayao Komatsu saying Haas doesn't come close to spending the cost cap, which leaves them getting out-engineered by bigger teams—and potentially by newer manufacturers like Audi and Cadillac.

If sponsorship money eventually dries up, what happens? Does Gene Haas keep funding the team, or is a sale to Toyota a realistic possibility?

I'd love to hear from longtime F1 fans because I'm still learning how all of this works.

Thanks!

Please high IQ responses.