2018 Report – Haas: The Little Team That Stands Out
At the end of 2018, Motorsinside offers you a look back at the performances of the teams and their drivers this season. Haas managed the feat of climbing to 5th place globally in only their third year in Formula 1. An interesting progression for the American team that could well reconcile its country with Formula 1.
Championship ranking: 5th, 93 pts
Best qualifying position: 5th (Grosjean in Austria, Belgium, and Japan; Magnussen in Australia, Germany, and Russia)
Best race finish: 4th (Grosjean, Austria)
With 93 points and a fifth place finish in the constructors’ standings, the Haas F1 Team truly succeeded in their 2018 campaign. Even though it should be noted that Racing Point Force India would have been ahead in the championship if half of their points hadn’t been taken away.
The season had, however, started poorly with a double retirement in Australia due to poorly tightened wheel nuts. At that moment, Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean were heading towards a solid group result that could have ended with both scoring valuable points.
In the following Grand Prix, while Kevin Magnussen gained confidence despite aggressive driving often criticized by his peers, Romain Grosjean lost his footing and couldn’t score, culminating in his crash into the wall in Baku under the Safety Car regime.
But the Frenchman excellently held his head high and even offered his team his best race result with a brilliant 4th place in Austria.
With a new partnership with Rich Energy, the 2019 season looks even better for the Haas team, which could well shake things up on the podium, especially if Red Bull encounters problems with the new Honda engine. A battle with the Renault team is not to be ruled out. To be followed closely…
Romain Grosjean
Ranking in the championship: 14th, 37 pts
Best qualifying position: 5th (Austria, Belgium, Japan)
Best race finish: 4th (Austria)
It’s been a season of ups and downs for the Franco-Swiss driver. The first races in 2018 were disastrous, and it wasn’t until the Austrian Grand Prix, the ninth Grand Prix of the season, that the former Lotus driver finally scored some points. And what points they were! 12 in one go, those for 4th place, which is to date the best result for a Haas in Formula 1.
Troubled by often approximate driving and increasing pressure on his shoulders following his early season blunders, Romain Grosjean nearly faced suspension with his increasingly empty points license. But he was able to overcome this situation and, most importantly, silence the critics to secure his spot for 2019.
Kevin Magnussen
Ranking in the championship: 9th, 56 pts
Best qualifying position: 5th (Australia, Germany, Russia)
Best race finish: 5th (Bahrain, Austria)
There would be a lot to say about Kevin Magnussen, especially about his ability to alienate the paddock and other drivers with behavior on track often beyond the limits. But the FIA and race stewards have rarely penalized the Dane, which has allowed him to achieve his most solid season since his debut in Formula 1.
Uncomfortable at McLaren, unloved at Renault, the native of Roskilde found his place at Haas, and in 2018, he was the one who brought momentum to his team, especially at the start of the season. He struggled a bit with Romain Grosjean’s resurgence at the end of the year but managed to stay strong to secure the 9th place in the drivers’ championship, ahead of his experienced teammate.
