Thoughts on Grosjean and Haas after 3 races?

Good question......

They certainly came out of the gate flying in the first couple of races. Appeared to regress a little this past W/E.

I'm not sure about him at all TBH. I want to like him, but to me at least something's not quite 'right'. He's certainly quick on occasion, but other times he's nowhere.

I'm still optimistic for the team. Hopefully, once they settle into the European season grind they'll be OK. Flyaways are kinda weird.

Cheers,
Ian

 

I wonder how much China was an experience issue - Grosjean did something like second fastest lap of the race on super soft which suggests their failings yesterday were more strategic

 

I won't be surprised if they start challenging for the midfield soon.

 

They got lucky with safety cars etc for the first two races. But then again a bit unlucky in China. I think firmly mid pack around 9-13th is where they are at with grosjean but guitteriez isn't capable of those places

 

I think they're a mid-pack team now, but I doubt they have the funding and expertise to keep up as the teams get better through the year. They need to replace Gut with a better driver.

 

Too early to really tell.

 

This was the first race with all cars finishing.

 

Dallara - Ferrari seem to have made a decent enough car, the Haas parts seem to let it down on too many occasions though, especially the front wing!

 

GRO is OK, GUT not so much, IMO.

 

LOL you crack me up.

 

I am impressed with Haas/Grosjean so far. I find Grosjean is maturing, where he's not banging the car up all of the time like he did earlier in his career. I expect to see some very impressive results over the year.

 

Even if they didn't score a point the rest of the year (unlikely) I think they've accomplished more than most people thought they would.

Overall I imagine the other pointless teams and McLaren will improve and make it a tough fight in the midfield for points the rest of the way. One article today stated that Renault are now deciding if they want to pull the plug on development in 2016 so that they could focus more on the big changes in 2017. Surely all the midfield and back teams will go one way or the other on this strategy, and behind Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, and Williams we'll have very wide swings in performance the rest of this year.

 

Haas has scored enough points to have free transport next year, I believe. It can only get a few points here and there this season. But the start of the season was impressive, I found.

Sauber is the new tail-ender, with Manor just in front, it seems.

McLaren is the big unknown.

But since Renault is onboard, the Enstone team (ex-Lotus, if you follow me) seems to go backwards. Maybe they miss Grosjean. Magnussen doesn't seem to "lead" that team, and Palmer is just learning the ropes. None of them is Toro Rosso material it seems!!!

 

Can you really rate Gutierrez though? He hasn't had a solid car except for yesterday, and even then it had problems before the race.

 

Am I the only one that heard the radio call requesting to retire the car with around two laps to go, because it had been undrivable the whole race, and was told to hang in there? Dunno what problem was, but it sounded like they were carrying an issue.

Not sure why Ferrari chose GUT either. I remember him being quite unremarkable at Sauber against teammates and I don't think he's bringing any money to Haas.

 

To early to tell anything yet.

 

I think the car couldn't use the tires correctly in China like they could in the first two races. In practice and qualifying they were another second or so off the pace. If they really struggle Russia i'll be worried. GUT is struggling with the car and in general. They will have updates coming.

Overall, I think they will end up 7th in the constructors with GRO in the top 12. Ahead of Renault, Manor, Sauber and Force India. Part of me thinks they could get ahead of Honda, but the Honda will come together as the season goes on.

 

I think so, because I didn't hear it.

 

Someone give this guy a cigar!

 

I am very impressed. I think they are doing really good. F1 is so competitive. I wish they had an american drivers.

 

I heard the retirement discussion either on the NBC TV or the F1 app, had both going during the race.

Not a business man, and I don't work for Ferrari, but I would guess Gutierrez' work for Ferrari last year was just because they needed someone with some F1 experience as a back up or simulator driver, and then the Ferrari-Haas deal allowed Ferrari to influence at least who Haas picked to drive. Likely that having at least one driver in the Ferrari and Haas world from North America helps "sell" the Haas team to North America. In other words, no USA drivers were better, so Gutierrez from Mexico was the next best option.
Or maybe Gene Haas just wants to sell more machines in Mexico.

 

This race instilled on why I still just can't like Grosjean. It's easy to be likeable when you're winning (in this case scoring points, twice, with great finishes), you must be a special kind of **** to be unlikeable when winning, but his radio halfway through the race ''do we still have to keep going or can I retire the car? It's been undriveable all weekend''. A car is either good or it's ****, but with Grosjean, when he's got a bad day at the office, he always loudly and often state about how **** and undriveable the car is.

I see them fighting for the last few points in reality, but not their points to lose. Their points to try and steal.

 

+ I wish they had an American engine too, would made F1 just a bit more interesting. But Ecclestone still seems to be unable to sell F1 in the US.

For instance a combined GM/Opel racing effort could've been a good baseline, both technically as well commercially, both in the EU as well as US. And GM/Opel has credibility when it comes to turbocharged, small capacity, hybrid engines.

Reality probably is for company as GM (and Ford) that the investment involved probably makes it a too risky ordeal. (Toyota and McLaren being not very good examples)

I guess Gutierrez was part of the Ferrari package, Grosjean being the affordable, talented, semi-experienced 1st driver.

Also heard Haas hired 70 Ferrari F1 employees on a short term contract just to get the project going. Haas currently is basically a Ferrari light on a Dallara chassis under US management.

 

Bob Fernley said the car is basically a 2015 october level development Ferrari, and that their challenge will be developing it through the season without a mature organizational structure. Seems like a pretty reasonable assessment.