The Haas F1 team has revealed its updated livery for the 2023 season, featuring the prominent branding of its new title sponsor MoneyGram.
The American team is the first F1 outfit to unveil its colour scheme for the upcoming season, although the digital renders did not represent this year’s car, the VF-23, which is likely to remain under wraps until its track debut at a shakedown event at Silverstone on February 11.
Haas’ new look is a departure from the predominantly white livery of the VF-22, which was hastily redesigned ahead of the 2022 season after the team cut its ties with former title sponsor Uralkali.
The 2023 design is black, red and white — three colours used by Haas in the past and also the corporate colours of MoneyGram, a payments and money transfer company that announced a multiyear partnership with the team at last year’s U.S. Grand Prix.
At the time of the MoneyGram announcement, Haas team principal Guenther Steiner said the deal would allow Haas to operate at the limit of F1’s budget cap, meaning it should have similar spending power to F1’s top teams going forward.
Haas finished last year’s constructors’ championship in eighth place, which was the team’s best result since 2018.
The renders released by Haas on Tuesday feature the car with the No. 20 of Kevin Magnussen and the No. 27 of new recruit Nico Hulkenberg, who replaces Mick Schumacher at the team this year.
Team boss Steiner said: “I obviously share everyone’s enthusiasm around the livery unveil, not least as it’s a checkpoint in the preseason calendar which means we’re another step closer to doing the thing we actually want to be doing — and that’s go racing.
“I like the livery, it’s undoubtedly a more elevated and modernized look which is fitting as we move into a new era alongside MoneyGram as our title partner.
“It’s an exciting time of year for Formula One and it’s great that we’re first out the gate to showcase our livery but our attention is firmly on getting the VF-23 on-track and preparing for the season ahead.
“We really have something to build on following last year’s performances. The whole organization has been working hard to reach this point and obviously in Kevin and Nico we have two proven points-scoring talents locked in behind the wheel. I can’t wait to get started.”
The shakedown of the VF-23 at Silverstone on February 11 means Haas will be among the first teams to hit the track with its new car before all 10 teams run together at F1’s official preseason test in Bahrain from February 23 to 25.
Shakedowns before official preseason testing are common and make use of a team’s “filming day”, which exists under F1’s strict testing restrictions to allow for 100km of private track time for promotional purposes.
The first race of the F1 season will take place on March 5 in Bahrain.
Source: www.espn.com