Romain Grosjean, Haas, Shanghai International Circuit, 2018

Grosjean needs his car to be perfect – Steiner

2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Posted on

| Written by and

Romain Grosjean hasn’t been able to set his car up the way he wants as easily as team mate Kevin Magnussen has, according to Haas team principal Guenther Steiner.

Grosjean is point-less after the first three races while Magnussen has scored in the last two rounds. However Steiner said he has no concerns Grosjean will be able to get on top of his problems with the car.

“I think Romain is more [that] the car needs to be perfect to his liking while Kevin can drive around a lot of things.

“Both things have pluses and minuses to be honest. If you have the perfect car [Grosjean] is fantastic but Kevin sometimes maybe says ‘it’s OK’. I think he learned and he pushes hard [for] what he wants as well now. If Kevin has a small problem he adapts better to drive around it.

“We just need to get them both into their zone where they can perform because they can perform,” he added. “I’m pretty relaxed about this, I’m convinced we can do it.”

Grosjean out-qualified his team mate in China but Magnussen said he was better off missing Q3 as it meant he could start on new tyres. In the race Magnussen quickly caught Grosjean who was told to let his team mate past.

Steiner said there were “circumstances” behind Grosjean’s point-less start to the year.

“I think he will come back,” he said. “I’m not too worried. He was, I wouldn’t say under-performing, there were circumstances.

“In Australia he performed well, there was no problem and now we’ve had two races. I never jump to conclusions after one or two races, it’s a long year, he will come back. He has been there before where he didn’t perform where he didn’t perform at where he is able to perform.”

Haas will “tweak the car a little bit for him to make it more comfortable for him to drive performance-wise”, said Steiner. “We need to get it more to his liking and then I think we are back where we wanted.”

Go ad-free for just £1 per month

>> Find out more and sign up

2018 F1 season

Browse all 2018 F1 season articles

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.

14 comments on “Grosjean needs his car to be perfect – Steiner”

  1. Grosjean is getting a bit of a “diva”… maybe he likes the other Diva?

  2. Sounds a lot like how Button used to be vs Hamilton at McLaren.

  3. The little arrogant french guy, is under enormous pressure. In 2017 he delivered – by coincidence and luck – more points than Magnussen, but it was Magnussen who delivered spectacular driving in several races.

    So far this year there hasn’t been any luck to any Haas driver, but Magussen still deliver spectacular driving and now also good points. Grosjean’ worst nightmare is unfolding and there is no sain excuses for him.

    1. I believe this is the last year for Grosjean in F1. It wouldn’t surprise me if Haas gives a test session for either Rossi or Newgarden. One of them will replace Grosjean next year.

      1. i doubt either Newgarden or Rossi would come over to Haas. Newgarden is in a top seat at Penske, won the championship last year and is currently leading it. I personally wouldn’t leave that seat for a midfield team in F1.
        Rossi i believe he has said in the past he’d consider an F1 return but only for the right seat. Which I don’t believe is Haas. I think he’s quite happy currently where he is.

      2. Andrew in Atlanta
        26th April 2018, 19:09

        Neither one, ZERO chance of that happening. Steiner has talked down every Indy driver that there’s zero chance any would join the team.

        I think they’re stuck with Grosjean or someone else let go in the paddock. I don’t think any of the Ferrari underlings have the points for a license yet do they? That second seat will be a Ferrari junior next

        1. Antonio Giovinazzi would be good to go, don’t know how his stock is at the moment though.

  4. It’s amazing the set of skills one acquires just by driving a McLaren over one year, good on you K-Mag good on you. Work those balls man!

  5. I’d be very worried if my team manager said that about me. He described KMag as you would a real driver. If one of your drivers is able to unlock the full potential and the other isn’t, that’s not optimal.

    1. Yes that isn’t a great compliment from the boss is it. Romain says he can win given the right car then the boss says he needs the PERFECT car!!

  6. Michael (@freelittlebirds)
    26th April 2018, 13:56

    People are getting carried away here – Grosjean’s a great driver and of course he has a preference for a car. It’s actually silly of Haas not to give him the car he needs cause he has exceptional pace when he can drive it the way he likes. Ideally you try not to give your highest-scoring driver a car that he doesn’t like.

  7. He was the best available to lead them two years ago, but he is not anymore.
    I can’t believe this guy still struggles with the brakes. Three years already.

    The constant moaning and blaming everything and everyone but himself for what happens on the track…
    I think they are fed up with him already. KMag is doing well enough to be their lead from now on.

  8. And i don’t think Steiner has Grosjean in very high regard if he is so experienced and still has issues to deal with small problems, that are more than natural on a team with their budget.

  9. Taylor Horner
    27th April 2018, 16:33

    I agree with your line of thinking sjordan. Which got me thinking… I don’t want to see an American in the HAAS seat unless it’s a phenom, a ragged edge racer with pure instincts and talent. Someone who wants to win, however unlikely. What I don’t want to see is a Indy guy, champion or not, fill the seat just to get paid and say they made it in F1

Comments are closed.