Motor racing-Haas first F1 team to reveal new look for 2023

MoneyGram International

31/01/2023 15:30

By Alan Baldwin
       Jan 31 (Reuters) - Haas became the first Formula One
team to show off their new look for 2023 on Tuesday with growing
optimism for the season ahead and U.S.-based MoneyGram now
prominent as the title sponsor.
    The online reveal of digital renders showed the
Ferrari-powered car in a freshened up red, black and white
colour scheme.
    "It’s great that we’re first out of the gate to showcase our
livery but our attention is firmly on getting the VF-23 on-track
and preparing for the season ahead," said team boss Guenther
Steiner.
    "We really have something to build on following last year’s
performances."
    The new car will run for the first time at Silverstone on
Feb. 11 before testing in Bahrain from Feb. 23-25. The season
then starts at the Sakhir circuit on March 5.
    Haas finished eighth out of the 10 teams in 2022 after
occupying last place in 2021.
    They have a new driver pairing with Denmark's Kevin
Magnussen staying but German veteran Nico Hulkenberg replacing
young compatriot Mick Schumacher.
    SURPRISE POLE
    Magnussen provided a highlight of the team's 2022 season
with a surprise pole position in the Brazilian Grand Prix.
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N3274C1
    "We head into a new season buoyed by some strong team
performances last year and a return to points paying finishes,"
said owner Gene Haas.
    "The aim for the 2023 season is naturally to do that more
consistently and with Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg I
certainly believe we’ve got an experienced driver pairing more
than capable of delivering those points on a Sunday."
    The team announced a multi-year deal for payments and money
transfer company MoneyGram International Inc. to be their title
sponsor last October.
    The team's previous two title sponsorships ended
prematurely, a deal with drink brand Rich Energy terminated
after just 14 races in 2019 and Russian Potash producer Uralkali
dropped last year following the invasion of Ukraine.
    The arrival of MoneyGram, active in 200 countries, starts a
new era for the team.
    "I think things have evolved in a very positive way. The
energy around the team is incredibly vibrant, they are very,
very excited and fired up," MoneyGram's chief executive Alex
Holmes told Reuters.
    "I think they feel they are at a place now where they are
going to have a very level playing field to compete from."
    Champions Red Bull are next up, launching their RB19 car in
New York on Friday. The team also have a U.S.-based title
sponsor in software giant Oracle.
 (Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Ken Ferris)
 ((alan.baldwin@thomsonreuters.com; +442075427933;))