A Formula 1 team is doing something never seen before on the pit straight.
After cost cap regulations were brought into play to try and keep the playing field even, teams have been looking for ways to save money.
Haas debuted their latest money-saving move during pre-season testing in Bahrain, that left fans looking on in disbelief.
Teams along the pit straight normally have a wall of engineers along with the team principal, with more screens visible than you would find inside an electronics store.
As they scour over every piece of data coming off the two cars, to monitoring other teams strategies while keeping an eye on the weather.
The operation consists nowadays of around 5-7 people sitting in a row in constant communication with the drivers and the rest of the team.
Haas are changing the game.
Team principal Guenther Steiner and Haas showed off their tiny three-man pit wall, much to the amusement of the Formula 1 world.
The shrunk down pit wall is estimated to be saving the team $$371,000 on transport costs. Those savings will now be spent on car development to try and thrust the team higher up the standings.
Freelance F1 journalist Chris Medland wrote: “The Haas pit wall that will already save it $250,000 a year is not finished yet … the team is actually looking to completely reduce it to a wall that can go via sea freight and be replicated six times – saving another $250,000 compared to the airfreight version.”
The move quickly set social media alight with fans split on the move by the team who finished third last in the contructors standings last season, ahead of only AlphaTauri and Williams.
F1 writer Vincenzo Landino wrote: “And it looks like they’re not done. Haas is exploring more cost-saving around the pit wall. Big fan of what they’re doing to be able to spend on the car.”
One user replied: “Haas saves $400K per season by limiting each engineer to a slice of pizza per race weekend.”
Another added: “Haas thinking outside the box. The tiny, tiny little box.”
One wrote: “I am sorry why does it look like a bus stop?”
Pre-season times, day 2
1. Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Alfa Romeo) 1:31.610 (132 laps),
2. Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) 1:31.650 (47),
3. Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin) 1:32.205 (130),
4. Nyck De Vries (NED/AlphaTauri) 1:32.222 (74),
5. Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Haas) 1:32.466 (68),
6. Carlos Sainz (ESP/Ferrari) 1:32.486 (70),
7. Logan Sargeant (USA/Williams) 1:32.549 (154),
8. Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 1:32.725 (68),
9. Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren) 1:33.175 (74),
10. Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine) 1:33.186 (59),
11. Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas) 1:33.442 (67),
12. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine) 1:33.490 (49),
13. George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) 1:33.654 (26),
14. Sergio Pérez (MEX/Red Bull) 1:33.751 (76),
15. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:33.954 (72),
16. Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren) 1:35.522 (65),
17. Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/AlphaTauri) 1:35.708 (85)
