Team boss Graeme Lowndes has confirmed that the American operation has taken delivery of a machined chassis with roll-hoop.

The tub will be used for structural testing and will not be built into a complete race car.

That builds on testing that has already taken place on nose boxes and other elements.

“We’ve started crash testing some time ago; impact testing and push off testing and squeeze testing,” Lowdon admitted in March.

“I’ve forgotten how many bits, incredibly expensive bits, that we’ve made and now smashed.

“But we’re happy that we’re passing all of the requirements, certainly on the nose.

“We’ve done a lot of work on the squeeze tests on the chassis,” he added.

“Our original plan was to have the first chassis built by the end of last year.

“It’s partly because of what we learned – we’ve already made parts of chassis, so you can make quarter chassis and half chassis and all, and then we’ve been squeezing them and doing all of the various R&D tests that are needed, which are incredibly onerous.

“So we’ve been learning a few things from that and, partly because of that, we’ve built some of that learning into the first chassis.

“Its reward for being the first chassis is we’re going to squeeze the hell out of that one!”

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Delivery of the first chassis is a crucial step for the American operation as it embarks on its first F1 campaign.

Without the obligation to go racing this year, it is free to dedicate its resources on its 2026 design though is constrained by the same regulations as the existing teams are.

“In terms of the regulations, which we’ve agreed to be under this year, I think is unprecedented,” Lowdon said.

“Previously, for example, when Haas came in, they weren’t under any regulation at all until they went racing.

“But there are certain regulations that we’re adhering to either through agreement or, in some instances, through our choice.

“The whole process of coming in is different from how any other team’s been able to come in in the past.”

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