Haas drivers Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen doubt their recent spate of collisions puts them at risk of losing their seats for the 2020 F1 season.
The pair have made contact at the Circuit de Catalunya, Silverstone and Hockenheimring already this year. But asked whether he was concerned it might affect his future at the team, Magnussen insisted he was “not worried at all”.Grosjean also believes his future is more secure now than it was 12 months ago. “I was more worried last year than I am this year,” he said.
“Last year there were a lot of reasons that I could have ended up this year at home. I made many mistakes that I shouldn’t have done with my experience. But I think since then I recovered pretty well.”
Grosjean has previously said he persuaded the team to bring back its old specification aerodynamic configuration from earlier this season which has helped it understand its fluctuations in performance.
“I think everything we’ve been saying this year, the eye-opener on the car, reverting back to the old-spec car because I asked, showed that the experience is very important in Formula 1.
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“Everything in the team has now changed, the focus is on a different path and how we make sure that we improve the car other than we just put upgrades without really knowing where we are.”
While he had “many reasons” to be concerned for his future last year, Grosjean says there are fewer now. “The races, I’m happy with my performance. I think qualifying I could have been better earlier in the year but now it’s back to what it was.”
Magnussen said the pair were “unlucky” that one of the three collisions between the pair put both out of the race.
“It’s happened a few times this year. It happened in Silverstone, it had a consequence for both of us. We had punctures. I think that was pretty unlucky to have two cars puncturing for such a small contact.
“There was no bad intentions from either of us in that moment it was just we came together and then punctured. Later in the race you see other cars flying into each, flying over the track and nothing happened. So we’ve got to look at that as well, to say that its just bad luck, really. That’s pretty much it.”
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Jake
1st August 2019, 15:43
I do think they’re both good enough to stay in F1, but one of them needs to leave Haas. Those two create such a toxic partnership that I’m surprised Guenther Steiner hasn’t had a stroke yet.
ColdFly (@)
1st August 2019, 15:51
Those two also created ‘issues’ when they were not racing in the same team/year.
Interestingly there are not-so-silly-season rumours that Ocon could join either of them; another gifted racer but also accident/incident prone.
Dutchguy (@justarandomdutchguy)
1st August 2019, 15:53
Imagine Ocon/Magnussen
They’d better hope Ocon is as good as he seemed, because he and Magnussen are anywhere near eachother on track, finishing rates are gonna be low
Bforth (@bforth)
1st August 2019, 16:51
That’s what I’m imagining too. Prior to this year, Grosjean seems to make contact as a result of over-driving (or lapses in concentration). Magnussen seems to end up in collisions because of aggression/frustration. Ocon seems to me similar to Magnussen. Having two such drivers wouldn’t avail the team.
If I had to pick one to keep from the current lineup, I would go for the driver with multiple podiums and a well-meaning disposition. I’ve no doubt that Grosjean is past his peak form, but he has been very agreeable and cooperative with all of his previous team mates. Magnussen is the only thing that has changed since the team lost its harmony, so he strikes me as the toxic factor.
Side note: I would still consider replacing Grosjean with Hulkenberg or Perez as a senior driver at this point. Grosjean hasn’t shown his previous confidence or consistency since getting snubbed by Ferrari, and I don’t see it coming back.
Dave
2nd August 2019, 7:06
I also thought that Grosjean won’t stay for 2020. Probably next year he’s going to focus more on his personal life.
NS Biker (@rekibsn)
1st August 2019, 15:49
Sometimes it is just best to clear out the closet and start afresh.
One of the challenges is that this is likely getting decided long before the end of the season. There are still lots of races to work through.
Jake
1st August 2019, 17:11
Seemed to work for McLaren, and they were in a much worse situation over the past few years. Hopefully they work it out.
Matteo (@m-bagattini)
1st August 2019, 15:52
For completeness: Kevin is 13th on the board with 18 points, Romain is 17th with 8 points.
Luke S (@joeypropane)
1st August 2019, 15:56
2 very inconsistent drivers, driving an inconsistent car. Grosjean has had WAY too many chances now imo, and K-Mag never really showed enough to warrant a renewal for this year.
I think Ocon is better than both in outright driving ability, but unless a year out has humbled him, he’ll only create the same headaches HAAS already have.
Tricky situation for Gene and Guenther.
David BR (@david-br)
1st August 2019, 16:43
@joeypropane Good summary.
Jake
1st August 2019, 17:10
Spot on analysis there. Do you think Haas may consider Pietro Fittipaldi as a replacement for one of them next year?
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
1st August 2019, 16:02
Not afraid, they sure are fearless, or aware that fia points have saved their careers.
Jimmi Cynic (@jimmi-cynic)
1st August 2019, 22:15
@peartree: Or…. Netflix are paying Gros and Mag’s wages so we can watch the veins pop out of Guenther’s head on-demand.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
1st August 2019, 23:25
@jimmi-cynic all about the show.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
1st August 2019, 19:06
This is exactly the question in Gunther’s mind: Why are drivers with this amount of experience crashing and colliding into each other on the track? In theory no one got paid when they crashed their cars out of the race at Silverstone, then what happens at the very next race? It’s pretty obvious there’s a thinking problem. Yes, drivers are employed to win races, but they are also employed to get the most amount of points they can, and points are how the team get paid. The most important point though is Gene Haas didn’t create this team so the drivers can make him look like a chump, which is what they did. That, more than anything else, says Gunther needs a really good reason (like winning a race) for someone not to be replaced.
I don’t see anything in what Grosjean or Magnussen said that tells me they need to be kept. Even George Russell could have argued for a comparative test between the old car and the updated one.
Potentially Bottas, Hulkenberg, and Ricciardo could be on the market for new seats, and arguably they know how to not crash into each other and argue for comparative tests.
Nope, I don’t see any reason, apart from the shortage of drivers at this level, why one of the current drivers shouldn’t be let go at the end of this season.
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
1st August 2019, 21:00
I cannot see Ocon in a team with either of these two. It would literally be an accident waiting to happen.
So I think if one of them has to leave the replacement will be either Bottas, Kvyat or possibly Gasly. That’s if it is a current driver at all.
I cannot see why Hulk would want to go to Haas unless he had nowhere else to go. Bottas and Gasly may be in that situation.
pastaman (@)
1st August 2019, 23:31
Haas missed the boat with Alexander Rossi, now Colton Herta is getting snapped up too.