Gene Haas is confident that his team has learned from a difficult 2019 campaign and applied those lessons to its 2020 car, which was unveiled today.

After finishing ninth in the constructors’ championship last year, the Haas Automation founder says he is expecting the team to bounce back from the disappointment to become regular point-scorers.

Related Haas unveils 2020 car and new livery

“Frankly, I’m hoping the VF-20 will return us to the kind of form we showed in 2018 when we finished fifth in the constructors’ championship,” Haas said. “2019 was a tough season to endure.

“We’ve been through a real education process – one that comes to all Formula 1 teams at some stage. I’m trusting we’ve learned from those lessons and have applied that knowledge into making the VF-20 a more competitive entry. It’s important to me that we’re back in the mix and consistently scoring points. We certainly have the capability, and we’ve proved as an organization we can do it.”

Team principal Guenther Steiner also admitted that the new car must provide a clear step forward compared to last season’s effort.

“It’s always exciting to see the development of a new Formula 1 car. Undoubtedly the VF-20 has to deliver where our previous car didn’t,” Steiner said. “With the regulations remaining stable into this season, it’s allowed us to improve our understanding of (last year’s) car and to scrutinize ourselves more in order to find solutions and applications to channel into the design of the VF-20.

“Last year was definitely a setback – one I would never have asked for. But you learn from such situations; we all have. Everybody on the team was forced to look at themselves and what they can do better. I’m looking forward to seeing the VF-20 make its track debut. As always in testing, you want many things, but lots of mileage, reliability and speed would be welcomed as we ready ourselves for the first race in Australia.”