Haas has presented the livery its VF-21 will race in during the 2021 F1 season.
Formula 1’s youngest team is going into its sixth season having replaced both of its drivers. Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin will make their grand prix debuts in the Bahrain Grand Prix later this month having stepped up from Formula 2.The team’s new title sponsor Uralkali is run by Mazepin’s billionaire father Dmitry Mazepin.
“I’m very pleased to welcome Uralkali to Formula 1 as title partner to Haas F1 Team,” said team founder and chairman Gene Haas.
“We look forward to representing their brand throughout the season. It’s an exciting time for the team with Uralkali coming onboard and having Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher driving for us.”
Haas’s colour scheme has changed to the white, red and blue of the Russian flag. Mazepin is forbidden from using the Russian flag and associated images under restrictions imposed on the country over a long-running doping scandal.
“It’s definitely a case of all change but I’m hoping that we get back to being in the mix for scoring some points at these races,” said Haas. “It’s been a tough couple of seasons, but we’ve also got our eye on the bigger picture, in particular 2022 and the implementation of the new regulations.”
Haas goes into the new season following its most difficult campaign to date in 2020. Previous drivers Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen scored just three points between them, leaving Haas ninth of the 10 teams in the championship.
The team presented the livery for its 2021 car on Thursday. The VF-21 will be presented on the morning pre-season testing begins at the Bahrain International Circuit on March 12th.
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However the team’s new car for the 2021 season will be little-changed from the one it raced last year. Team principal Guenther Steiner said the team faces “a year of learning” with its two new drivers.
“It’s no secret that the VF-21 will not be developed as we focus our energies now on the 2022 car and what we hope will be a more level-playing field. We all know roughly where we expect to be this season in terms of the competition, but we must ensure we’re there to capitalise on opportunities when they present themselves.”
Schumacher and Mazepin will drive on both days during the test, Haas confirmed. “First we have to get the guys dialled in at testing,” Steiner continued. “Time behind the wheel is short, so it’ll be a steep curve, but I’m personally looking forward to seeing their development as drivers and as team members within Uralkali Haas F1 Team.”
Pictures: 2021 Haas F1 launch
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Aiii (@)
4th March 2021, 8:06
In case anyone was wondering if Mazepin is bulletproof at this point, let’s put a literal Russian flag livery on our American car.
I expect news of a Mazepin acquisition of Haas before the summer break.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th March 2021, 8:09
Indeed @aiii. As a livery this certainly looks better than what they had last year.
But since the Russian flag is not allowed to be shown in international sports, it does a lovely job of Putin/Mazepin Sr. sticking a middle finger to the international sporting organisations. Could just as well be called Russian Time F1.
Patrick (@paeschli)
4th March 2021, 8:57
Yeah I quite like it: a Russian flag on an American car
DavidH
4th March 2021, 8:16
I worry for Schumacher’s prospects in this team. God help him when he outperforms Mazepin. Hopefully he gets out and to a better team ASAP.
bosyber (@bosyber)
4th March 2021, 10:12
It might be that his big name (and Ferrari backing) helps him a bit DavidH, but yeah, might need it too. And with him in the past having been more slow to get going than quick and dirty does it, start of the year could be though.
Jimmie in LA (@)
4th March 2021, 13:47
Worked out for Perez at Racing Poi…..
Oh wait
Mayrton
4th March 2021, 8:32
Wow, they really sold out, didnt they? Possibly good news for a drive next year for Kvyat..
Jockey Ewing
4th March 2021, 13:52
Hopefully to Shwartzman then. He looked better than Kvyat at his last few years. I was so happy when it became sure that Shwartzman comfortably outscores Mazepin at the last race of the season. I even did calculations whether it will cost the superlicense for Mazepin.
Actually I made a joke by that time, what would Americans say if the pairing of Haas would be Shwartzman and Mazepin, lol. But identitiy-wise today’s news are not a smaller thing.
Because of being nasty, I don’t like the livery, despite of I like it’s reselmblence of old school simple liveries. For example I like the quite simple but beautiful one featuring the same colors on Herbie :P
I expect Williams (hopefully) improving a bit, but apart from Ferrari sent some engineers to Haas, as I remember, I expect Haas going backwards, they spoke so much about not developing the 2021 car. So sad for Mick Schumacher for having a debut at a real backmarker, but Alfa Romeo will likely beat Haas, and Williams with Russell will likely beat them as well.
Jockey Ewing
4th March 2021, 16:15
But hey, at the rear, the car number 47 is in a circle, just like on Herbie’s livery, it’s another funny analogy, hehehe.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
4th March 2021, 8:51
Same colours though… If this is the only thing the world gets from singling out the russians so be it.
MrBoerns (@mrboerns)
4th March 2021, 9:37
Yeah the americans will be upset- they wanted a lil’ of the ol’ red, white n Blue is all, Not these russki colors
Robert
4th March 2021, 10:13
And they got it! Just…not in the right order.
bosyber (@bosyber)
4th March 2021, 10:13
heh, yeah was thinking that too @mrboerns
Certainly looks nicer (in isolation) than what they had last year, and surely better deal than the Rich Energy one, but this team does not quite inspire confidence in its lasting power.
Mashiat (@mashiat)
4th March 2021, 8:07
Improvement on last year’s livery, but it just looks a bit basic to me. That Russian flag on the front wing and color scheme (in an American team no less) and title sponsorship says it all about which driver really is their “number 1”. I just hope this doesn’t mean Mazepin isn’t guaranteed a seat in Haas until he wants to retire.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th March 2021, 8:10
I think it will be Mazepin guaranteed that seat, I guess we might see the team changing hands all but in name/registration (since being russian might run into issues with sanctions against russian sport entities etc.) @mashiat
Captain Pie (@captainpie)
4th March 2021, 8:13
Is it just me or is there a severely worrying lack of sponsors on this?
BasCB (@bascb)
4th March 2021, 8:14
No, not just you @captainpie
green light
4th March 2021, 8:28
Don’t worry, Rich Energy will fill up the space
MrBoerns (@mrboerns)
4th March 2021, 9:40
Also, man are we gonna make a face when now, with most options already gone, it turns out Rich Energy titlesponsor the newly black and Gold Ferrari
Steve (@)
4th March 2021, 10:04
It is sort of retro early 1970s……a bit like the hopeless boy Mazepin’s opinions.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th March 2021, 8:13
Looking at it even more – this also shows that Haas has no other sponsors anymore (just Haas itself on the car, with Pirelli logos since they are tyre supplier).
Not sure anyone would even want to be associated with them either. Also, great show for Ferrari that they are having strong ties with Mazepin and Putins circle.
Retired (@jeff1s)
4th March 2021, 8:33
I noticed the « 1&1 » logo on the nose but it’s not a synonym of quality.
For the Russian flag over an American car, the meagre sponsorship and their lack of long term view, I can just be sorry for Mick Schumacher.
Alex Lillo (@nordic)
4th March 2021, 9:24
I once had some domains/hosting with 1&1, worst company ever I’ve dealt with, so it seems very appropriate that are on the Haas car.
Steve (@)
4th March 2021, 10:06
To be fair they could be worse, like whoever it was (I assume now fired) who tried to run the online Alpine launch by using a Sinclair Spectrum.
Mayrton
4th March 2021, 8:33
Russian billionaires and millionaires market for Ferrari is key
BasCB (@bascb)
4th March 2021, 8:37
And it shows Mayrton. Russians, Middle East and China probably the biggest buyers.
pSynrg (@psynrg)
4th March 2021, 12:34
@bascb but you can say that for all the luxury brands…
BasCB (@bascb)
4th March 2021, 14:02
Quite true, yes.
Broke1984 (@broke1984)
4th March 2021, 8:16
I came here to say what apperars to have already been said, that Mazepan will buy out this team. Gene Haas in his recent interview came across as not really caring about actual performance and that he’d never spend to find the performance, he may well just become a sponsor rather than a tram owner.
Broke1984 (@broke1984)
4th March 2021, 8:21
My phone autocorrected team to tram but actually this year it may well be Toby (haas) vs the rest of sodor.
bosyber (@bosyber)
4th March 2021, 10:15
I first thought that was on purpose @broke1984, but it does remain apt indeed.
John
4th March 2021, 13:06
I want Douglas to crush Mazepin like he did to the Spiteful Brakevan, LOL.
Hakk the Rack
4th March 2021, 8:17
Russian flag on an American team, that’s the 2nd main issue here. The 1st one is a quite emotional caption M.Schumacher near the German flag.
Todd (@braketurnaccelerate)
4th March 2021, 8:20
Man. We just got rid of the last American thing that was bought and paid for by Russians.. Now we got this to deal with.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th March 2021, 8:30
Bit of a bummer, right @braketurnaccelerate. Makes it a bit hard to rally for a US team. And not sure it helps Haas in business either.
Todd (@braketurnaccelerate)
4th March 2021, 9:28
This just gives more credit to the idea that Gene will likely sell at the end of the year, and we’ll see Uralkali F1 Gónki Komandoy become a thing.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th March 2021, 10:36
It sure does, yeah @braketurnaccelerate
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
4th March 2021, 8:40
Lol. There’s some hilarious irony around the American team morphing into Team Russia
Todd (@braketurnaccelerate)
4th March 2021, 9:20
American business men with dodgy taxes, backed by the Russians. We’re used to it here. :)
BasCB (@bascb)
4th March 2021, 8:31
BTW, Buxton got Haas to confirm that they ARE allowed to run the russian colours on the car – the FIA confirmed that – https://twitter.com/wbuxtonofficial/status/1367390985911730179
HAL
4th March 2021, 8:32
Quite nice livery, at least much better than the previous ones. A bit ironical though to see these Russian colors on the “only American team” in F1, though ;-). Jokes aside, this deal with Mazepin family is probably a very good thing for the team, let’s just hope Nikita will be at the right level and will behave.
Fikri (@elangsawah)
4th March 2021, 8:35
if your son can’t drive under Russian flag, gonna make sure he drives a car in Russian colours and flag
PStaffan
4th March 2021, 8:36
Is that last years floor? Seems too wide at the back?
BasCB (@bascb)
4th March 2021, 8:38
It’s the new livery on last years’ car PStaffan
Pstaffan
4th March 2021, 8:38
Nevermind! this was just livery reveal. Ok.
SaMa (@f1g33k)
4th March 2021, 15:48
They have anyway not spent any tokens, so the only thing that will change is the cut in the floor. At least it will give a good baseline on how much the 2021 regulations have slowed the car from 2020.
RocketTankski
4th March 2021, 8:38
Haas looking patriotic in some red white and blue?
At least it isn’t the livery of a tobacco company. :-)
Stephen Higgins
4th March 2021, 8:46
Haaski …
Fantomius (@liko41)
4th March 2021, 8:48
This russian flag thing only proves once more, if needed, that even the harshest of punishments could be easily bypassed,if you splash a fair bit of cash.
That’s how the world goes.
Yaru (@yaru)
4th March 2021, 8:58
You are not allowed to use the Russian flag, that is not the Russian flag, just similar colors. Using the same colors on a car is hardly similar since you can’t display the flag next to your name or have the flag fly in any podium (not that there would have been a chance). I would hardly call it a bypass.
Teams sponsor paying for colors is nothing new, look at BWT did to Force India/Racing Point and the entirety of NASCAR/Indycar.
Fantomius (@liko41)
4th March 2021, 9:39
@yaru
THis is EXACTLY the russian flag.
Paying for coloring a racing car is nothing new, paying to bypass a court ruling isn’t either, but this is far too obvious to be tolerated.
The Badger
4th March 2021, 20:39
I’m gonna go with definitely the Russian flag. Those are not Uralkali corporate colors, which are green and red. Nikita’s own log is black and red. There is no other explanation, it is the Russian flag.
Jere (@jerejj)
4th March 2021, 8:48
A bit too Russian-looking to my liking. The entire car is more or less one big Russian flag, so why don’t we start calling it the ‘Russian F1 team’ or ‘Team Russia’ rather than the Haas F1 team?
Yaru (@yaru)
4th March 2021, 9:01
By that logic we should call Mercedes the Black Lives Matter Team cos Hamilton put pressure on them to change their livery from silver to black in support of it last year.
Qeki (@qeki)
4th March 2021, 9:24
@jerejj That color scheme says that it is a russian team, reminds me of that Russian Time Gp2 team. Mazepin and Schumacher jr is an interesting line up. They will get a lot of hate because of Nikita but they also have one german who is one of the most recognizable names all around the world.
It is a team with a lot of contrast. America and Russia, Schumacher and Mazepin. Love and Hate. I can’t wait will Haas sell the team to Mazepin in 2022 and what happens to Mick after the season.
Xoya
4th March 2021, 8:52
Force Russia…
Barry Bens (@barryfromdownunder)
4th March 2021, 8:58
Although the livery looks really nice, I can see some issues arise when Williams also continues with a livery that includes a lot of white. You’ll have Alpha Tauri, Haas(ki), Williams and even a bit of Alpha Romeo. At adistance I as a colorblind person will have a relatively hard time making out which car it is I’m l;ooking at.
On a sidenote: it are all teams that won’t perform much at all (maybe Alpha Tauri is ther exception), so I guess it doesn’t matter much…
BasCB (@bascb)
4th March 2021, 10:38
I think Williams teases looked more like them going for more of their dark blue on the car @barryfromdownunder.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
4th March 2021, 9:00
Everyone is pointing out the russian out of the livery! Which cannot be denied, overwhelming, but wait a minute, isn’t the alpine french on top of french. That apparently does not bother anyone.
wsrgo (@wsrgo)
4th March 2021, 9:23
@peartree people are pointing it out in light of recent news that you’re not allowed to race under a Russian flag in international sports including F1.
Aiii (@)
4th March 2021, 9:30
A French team running a French flag is indeed nothing noteworthy. You might have had a point if the French team was sporting a huge Spanish Flag livery, though.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th March 2021, 10:38
Ha. or a British flag!
Mark
4th March 2021, 12:52
The Swiss team is sporting Polish colours, this bothers noone.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
4th March 2021, 16:46
@wsrgo I know.
I was just saying that if we think a little bit this livery is not that jarring.
@aiii Funnily enough renault a french team, had a spanish flag on their 09 livery.
Sometimes we see weird flags on liveries and even driver helmets (Lando). Teams often race for a different flag than one would expect. Sauber’s livery is a Polish flag, because of the sponsor, Alpine is kind of french. Haas has a russian title sponsor and a russian driver. hrt had an indian flag, renault also once had an italian flag on an engine cover and I think minardi might have had a malaysian flag. mclaren raced a brazillian flag a long time ago.
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
4th March 2021, 9:10
Ah it all makes sense. This would be why the team didn’t care to rein in Nikita for his misdemeanour. Explaining the make-up of F1 teams to non-fans is confusing. An American team with close association to Italian Ferrari liveried with a Russian flag… almost as confusing as when I tried to explain that Red Bull had renault engines but called them tag-heuer but were sponsored by Aston-Martin.
JohnH (@johnrkh)
4th March 2021, 9:22
Well Haas was desperate for the cash injection so it was this or sell up and leave so they just grabbed the lifeline thrown to them. I would think Mazepin still has ambitions of buying an F1 team this is a first step.
Aussie Rod (@aussierod)
4th March 2021, 9:40
Wow that looks decidedly backmarker-esque.
Mostly white, lack of sponsors… and an American team draped in a Russian flag !
I hope I’m wrong but it smells like a change of ownership is right round the corner.
Sven
4th March 2021, 10:02
It would be great to se the team being bought buy Mazepin. Haas do not have the money to compete properly. Russia has a fast growing interest in F1 and have a lot of companies that would love to support a Russian F1 team. Also a lot of Technical know how that could be applied to Grand Prix racing. It would be just fantastic to se a Russian F1 team.
Venedikov (@venedikov)
4th March 2021, 10:06
I wonder if they will let Mick race in Germany with “German” front wing.
BasCB (@bascb)
4th March 2021, 10:39
:-)
Raqua (@raqua)
4th March 2021, 11:01
I am surprised that others think this is improvement over last years livery. I looks worse than most F2/F3 liveries imho.
John H (@john-h)
4th March 2021, 11:55
Worst livery I’ve seen since HRT.
Dave
4th March 2021, 12:01
Lawrence > Dmitry
Adam (@rocketpanda)
4th March 2021, 12:05
Without the additional concerns it’s pretty bland but, nah. I’d like to see Schumacher do well but I can’t support the team.
Pinak Ghosh (@pinakghosh)
4th March 2021, 13:01
Is this is a good team for Mick Schumacher to start in F1?
RB13
4th March 2021, 13:14
Gene Haas has given up. What a quitter and an embarassment to America, down there with Trump.
Antybuc
4th March 2021, 15:23
Looks slow already.
ykiki
4th March 2021, 15:38
So, every year Haas F1 has included a US flag on the side of the car – even during the Rich Energy season. Now it’s gone. I think that pretty much says it all.
notme
4th March 2021, 18:48
there is a us flag under the S in haas sidepod logo, but even that is turned in a wrong way
The Badger
4th March 2021, 20:44
It’s correct: same as US flag patches on shoulders. “Rightways” on driver’s side, opposite on passenger side, as though it were attached to a flagpole.
Kerry Maxwell (@kerrymaxwell)
4th March 2021, 16:40
They’ve certainly moved up to a whole new level of criminal associates.