Haas F1 Car Launch: Why is the chassis called VF?

Haas recently revealed the livery for their 2023 challenger, the VF-23. While '23' is the year the car was launched, what does 'VF' signify on the chassis?

Let's take a look.

To understand why the chassis has such an elaborate name, we have to look at the history of the American automation giant. The confusing nomenclature comes from the world of the manufacturing industry.

In 1988, the American company introduced its own Computer Numerical Control machine (CNC) and named it the VF-1. The 'V' stands for vertical, which is an industry-standard designation for a vertical mill. The founder of the company, Gene Haas, continued this nomenclature when it entered F1 in 2016, with the VF-16.

The American outfit revealed their new livery for the upcoming season and have chosen to go with a black, white, and red color combination. The team were to feature the Russian flag on their 2022 challenger but chose to go red and white after president Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

This year, the team has decided to go back to the black-ish color scheme - based on their previous black and gold livery from 2019. Having ditched Mick Schumacher for Nico Hulkenberg ahead of the new season, Guenther Steiner and Co. are hoping to shake up the pecking order later this year.

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Guenther Steiner reveals Haas' goals for 2023 F1 season

Haas team boss Guenther Steiner hopes his team can regularly fight for points in 2023 and maybe even get on the podium one day. The American outfit had its most successful season since 2018, finishing eighth in the constructors' standings.

After two dismal years (2020 and 2021), Steiner's team made a partial comeback in 2022. Haas started the season with a bang, with Kevin Magnussen finishing P5 in the season opener in Bahrain. Since then, however, the team lost form and failed to score points regularly. Haas were generally unable to keep up with other teams in terms of development, showcasing their biggest weaknesses in the sport.

Magnussen, however, shocked the world by taking his and his team's first F1 pole position at the 2022 Brazilian GP. In a similar spirit, Haas team principal Guenther Steiner claims the team plans on going even further in 2023.

As reported by Ravenna Today, Steiner said:

"We had two difficult years with the pandemic, but we got back on our feet. The season we just finished went well, but it could have been better. We can consider it a year of growth. This year Kevin [Magnussen] gave us a Pole Position."

"In 2023, we want to grow even more, make another leap in quality in the standings, always fight for points and one day get on the podium. Big goals are needed to achieve them and grow."

It remains to be seen how successful the Magnussen-Hulkenberg combination will be in 2023 and if the team can build on the decent year they had in 2022.