FEBRUARY 11, 2019

Haas to use Dallara simulator from 2019

Haas is stepping up its simulator programme for 2019.

Haas is stepping up its simulator programme for 2019.

Until now, the small American team has used the Ferrari simulator at Maranello.

But according to boss Gunther Steiner, Haas has been unable to use the simulator during grand prix weekends because it is monopolised at these times by Ferrari.

"We have access to Ferrari's simulator," Steiner told Denmark's BT newspaper, "but they use it on the grand prix weekends.

"Now we want to use a simulator on the weekends too, so we are switching over to Dallara's simulator," he said.

Italian company Dallara builds Haas' F1 cars.

"It takes time to build a simulator programme, but we expect to have it in place during the spring. From the fifth or sixth race I expect we will be up and running on the grand prix weekends," Steiner added.

Haas' simulator driver is Pietro Fittipaldi, the 22-year-old grandson of double world champion Emerson Fittipaldi.

Steiner says the Brazilian will get some actual running in the 2019 car early this year.

"To ensure that what happens on the track corresponds to what he experiences in the simulator, he will drive half a day in the car during the first winter test," he said.