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Grosjean: F1 needs more teams like Haas

Published on 15 Dec 2018 15:47
5
By: Fergal Walsh

Romain Grosjean believes that Formula 1 needs an influx of teams more like Haas, stating that the American outfit is made up of "crazy dreamers". Haas enjoyed a strong 2018 season, finishing fifth in the constructors' standings.

The impressiveness of the achievement is heightened by the fact that 2018 marked Haas' third season in the sport, having only joined the grid in 2016. Grosjean, who has been with the team since its maiden campaign, says that new teams can learn a lot from Haas.

“Haas is one of the things that make F1 great," he wrote in a piece for The Players' Tribune. "The team is filled with determined goal-setters, out-of-the-box technical thinkers and yes, even crazy dreamers. I’m lucky to be a part of this team. F1 needs more teams like Haas.”

Haas' F1 career began with a bang, as Grosjean crossed the line in sixth place at the 2016 Australian Grand Prix. However, he recalled that the weekend wasn't smooth at all, as a number of obstacles were met along the way.

"Our first Grand Prix in Australia in 2016 was chaotic,” Grosjean reflected. “We didn’t get a lot of laps in pre-season testing so we had barely any info on the car going into Melbourne. Then it rained on Friday, so no laps. We didn’t even know if the radio worked.

“On Saturday, we finally got out of the garage and someone hit us in the pit lane. We had to change the floor of the car and we missed even more time. Then qualifying was a disaster because F1 had implemented that new, ridiculous elimination-style quali that ended up getting removed a few weeks later.

“But then Sunday happened. And the race ended, and we were in sixth place. P6. In the points. Unbelievable. Truly amazing. Beforehand, we thought we might be lucky to finish the race. Our telemetry failed during the Grand Prix. Our radio failed at times. Our car hadn’t even driven a full race distance leading up to that weekend.”

ENDR

Posts: 43

Are they a "B" team though? Do they unconditionally accept any driver the "A" team gives them? Do they test unproven parts for the "A" team (like Toro Rosso Honda)? Do they let the "A" team cars through without putting up a fight while screwing up everyone else's races?
STR is OBVIOUSLY RB's "B" ... [Read more]

1
Dec 15 2018 - 21:42

F1 News Romain Grosjean Gene Haas

Replies (5)

ajpennypacker

Posts: 2,475
Let me qualify that, we need more teams that succeed like Haas. Do we need more B teams for the large car manufacturers? No, definitely not.
- + 0
- Dec 15 2018 - 20:14
- ENDR
  
  Posts: 43
  Are they a "B" team though? Do they unconditionally accept any driver the "A" team gives them? Do they test unproven parts for the "A" team (like Toro Rosso Honda)? Do they let the "A" team cars through without putting up a fight while screwing up everyone else's races?
  STR is OBVIOUSLY RB's "B" team. SAUBER's shaping up to be Ferrari's "B" team, with Giovinazzi as their reserve driver, Leclerc behind the wheel this season and Gio and Kimi next year.
  Haas are just a client team, just like Williams or FI to Mercedes.
  + 1
  
  Dec 15 2018 - 21:42
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  I would definitely say they are a B-team: they get significant advantages from paying for certain parts from Ferrari, and in return Ferrari get cash and some additional data. Sauber is probably B-teamier at this rate, but Ferrari has been known to have multiple concubines before. This wont be an exception.
  + 0
  
  Dec 16 2018 - 09:01
paveu

Posts: 6
"we need more teams like Haas". yep, who else would hire Champion of Walls :)
- + 0
- Dec 16 2018 - 13:11
Ram Samartha

Posts: 1,172
Kind of a no-brainer if you ask me. B team or not, I would rather watch teams like Haas and Sauber race than Williams and McLaren at this point in the sport.
- + 0
- Dec 18 2018 - 23:07