Gene Haas’s target for his team to get within half a second of Ferrari is not unrealistic, says Romain Grosjean.
Following pre-season testing the team has been tipped by many to be one of the surprises of the midfield. Grosjean predicted Haas will be able to take on some of its better-equipped rivals this year.
“Winter testing is one thing but the racing is different,” he told media in Australia. “It’s going to be tight. We’re going to fight some big teams which is amazing in our third year. Let’s see what it’s like but focus on our own job, not trying to make plans for reaching Mars or Jupiter or Neptune or whatever.”
“I think Ferrari, everyone talks about the engine, it’s a big part. But the suspension, hydraulics, the gearbox as well, and all of that is a big part of our car. That’s why when Gene [Haas] says ‘I want to be within half a second of Ferrari’ I don’t think that’s unrealistic.”
Haas is reaping the benefits of focusing on its 2018 from an early stage last year, Grosjean explained.
“I guess one of the big challenges for Haas this year is to keep the development going which has been the weakness of the last two years,” he said. “Weakness, maybe that is not the right word because we focused very early on next year’s car.”
“Last year by May we didn’t have anything new for 2017. It [was] very early but I believe it allowed us to get a decent car this year. And obviously be able to fight for a good constructors’ championship position.”
Grosjean was the only Haas driver to reach Q3 last year and he thinks it may be possible again this weekend.
“There is two Ferrari, two Mercedes, two Red Bulls. Six positions, that gives you four spots to get into Q3.
It’s not a lot. and that’s the challenge for the smaller team as we are is normally you don’t race in the same race. You only fight for four positions.
“[But] a lot can happen. It’s early in the season, we’ll focus on what we can do and get the best out of our platform, get it as it was in Barcelona, good feeling, good consistency, get the tyres to work. If we do all of that I think we’ve got a chance for Q3.”
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Chris Lunnon (@chr1sf1)
22nd March 2018, 9:09
The trajectory of Haas’s performance is seriously impressive, especially when compared to the new teams of 2010.
I feel this will be a big season for K Mag. He’s in a team that believes in him, he’s in his prime unlike Grosjean.
I’m betting Magnussen will make his 2nd podium appearance this season.
Racefan (@racefan)
22nd March 2018, 10:08
High hopes, but def not unrealistic, if the cars limit is within 1 sec of Ferrari.
Hulk and Alonso will also cry as small babies and maybee quit F1, if Magnussen takes another podium in 2018 and they don’t. But I hope they stay, since it’s allways entertaining to hear and watch, when people with a mindset and behavior of a King, realize they have been overtaken by another Prince.
Joao (@johnmilk)
22nd March 2018, 11:59
it does appear to be the way to shoot directly at the top end of the midfield or at least thereabouts, but more than that I don’t think is possible. When you rely so much on one of top teams to have a competitive car, the performance will always be inferior compared to the “provider”.
It is certainly an approach new teams should learn from I think, better to enter the sport like this and hope to get some independence later, and hopefully aim at bigger prizes, when things are stable, than entering the sport being backmarckers for their entire lives without the security of even being in the grid for the years to come. It also helps that they went for drivers that have quality (yes, none of them are setting the world on fire, but still) and actually can help them, Gutierrez apart of course, in taking the required performance out of the car
Kingfas
22nd March 2018, 22:40
@chr1sf1 hass performance by I wouldn’t discount grosjean yet as his qualifying pace is much better than magnessun and he out scored him
socksolid (@socksolid)
22nd March 2018, 9:21
I really hope haas has made a step up. While the top 3 is already decided the fight for p4 in constructors looks like it will be great. Force india, mclaren, renault and haas all fighting for that position. One of them might get super lucky and get a podium if the top teams have technical issues. I hope the battle won’t be decided by engine penalties though.
mmertens
22nd March 2018, 9:22
The most important for them is to be consistent this year. Their two drivers need to do like Ocon did last year. If Haas has a good car, they need harvest points at every occasion to succeed.
Nitzo (@webtel)
22nd March 2018, 9:23
Watching K-Mag and “Remain Shut-up” Grosjean race in the top ten along side RBR, McRenault and Renault would be fun. :-P
Jere (@jerejj)
22nd March 2018, 11:33
”not trying to make plans for reaching Mars or Jupiter or Neptune or whatever.” – LOL.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
22nd March 2018, 16:40
I think their goals are realistic. There’s no reason to believe Haas won’t achieve some podium finishes this season.
Joseph (@bigjoe)
22nd March 2018, 13:02
Slightly depressing realising around half a minute slower than Ferrari over a race is a massive improvement for Haas. An improvement on regularly being lapped, when there’s often not a lot of cars still on the same lap as Merc in recent years to be fair.
I’m on the edge of my seat.
grat
22nd March 2018, 17:20
Half a MINUTE?!?!? They’re not that slow. They’d have to be HRT/Cosworth to be that slow.
Esploratore (@esploratore)
23rd March 2018, 2:30
Indeed, for the circumstances half a minute is not a lot at all. I remember hungary last year, alonso had a great race with a mclaren 1 sec off the pace and got 6th place, the best result of mclaren last year, and he was like 71 sec behind the leaders (ferrari in that case), the last one to not be lapped.
So aside from the 2 ferraris, 2 mercedes and the 1 red bull left in the race and ofc alonso, all others were lapped.
I really doubt hrt and cosworth weren’t lapped at their times, haas would improve by like 1 minute a race, so 1 sec per lap, if this very optimistic goal is met.
George (@george)
22nd March 2018, 17:57
Half a minute isn’t really that much, you quite regularly get 15-20 second gaps between teammates. Certainly it’s close enough that you can spring a surprise if circumstances go your way.