In a bid to add performance and finally cure an in-race tyre wear problem that has hobbled its whole season, Haas brought a key update - new floor, sidepods, engine cover - to Austin to become the last team to converge around the downwash sidepod design pioneered by Red Bull.
But drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg struggled to notice any tangible gains to the ultimate pace or rate of tyre degradation following the Saturday sprint race last weekend.
To refine car set-up, both then took a pitlane start for the US GP on Sunday. The rear wing specifications were changed to break parc ferme regulations. Disqualifications for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc applied, Hulkenberg classified 11th and Magnussen 14th.
Haas chief designer Andrea De Zordo insisted the upgraded VF-23 now has a platform that can be extensively developed.
He said: “It is already better. It is a little bit better than the old package. The fact that also, performance is better in these [early] days here I think is a good point.
“We have something that's performing a little bit better. But we know that we can develop a lot more the platform. So, all in all, even if you didn't a expect big step [initially], I think what we are seeing is positive.”
Source: Autosport