Breaking news
Formula 1
Renault should be "scared" of Haas - Grosjean
Renault should be "scared" of Formula 1 rival Haas in the future, reckons Romain Grosjean, after their season-long battle in 2018.
Pablo Elizalde Oleg Karpov
Published: Jan 9, 2019, 11:21 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The French squad beat Haas to fourth place in the standings by 29 points, in a battle that also took place off the track following Renault's protest at the Italian GP.
Renault protested Romain Grosjean's car after the Monza race - where he finished sixth - and the Frenchman was excluded over the legality of his floor.
Grosjean believes the protest showed Haas, in only its third year in the sport, was scaring Renault.
"I don't think it is a great sportsmanship move," he said of Renault's protest. "But yes, we were scaring them, which is good. They should be for the future."
The Haas driver believes the American team "changed leagues" in 2018, jumping to the front of the midfield after finishing in eighth place in its first two seasons in F1.
But Grosjean concedes Haas needs to keep improving on areas like manufacturing in order to take its operation to the next level.
When asked what Haas needed to improve in order to beat Renault, he said: "There are few things. One example is that we don't produce parts, so we need to manufacture them outside and sometimes it takes a bit too long.
"That is one example that I can give out of few, but that is one. When it would take three days [for them], to our team to do it it maybe takes three weeks.
"Like the floor, we didn't have the time to change it for Monza, that was the only thing. The performance gain is zero. Absolutely zero, zero, but we just didn't have the time to do it for Monza and Renault played on it.
Grosjean says team boss Gunther Steiner is aware of the areas that need improving and is already working to make things better.
"Gunther is well aware. You know, he understands a lot of things and that is great to have," he said. "We talk very often, but he is aware of the things that we need to improve and definitely it is something that we're working on.
"Part of the rest is just a growing process, more performance you want, faster you want to be, better things to go."
Romain Grosjean, Haas F1 Team VF-18
Photo by: Zak Mauger / LAT Images
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Formula 1 should slash downforce by "40-50%"
Next article Sauber "pushed like hell" on 2019 car early
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Pablo Elizalde
Alpine becomes Pramac's main partner in MotoGP
MotoGP
MotoGP
Alpine becomes Pramac's main partner in MotoGP
Liberty Media's $4bn MotoGP deal facing EU probe
MotoGP
MotoGP
Liberty Media's $4bn MotoGP deal facing EU probe
Ocon wants answers to understand pace slump against Alpine team-mate
Formula 1
Formula 1
Ocon wants answers to understand pace slump against Alpine team-mate
More from
Romain Grosjean
Romain Grosjean apologises to McLaren after controversial, unfounded comments
Formula 1
Formula 1
Spanish GP
Romain Grosjean apologises to McLaren after controversial, unfounded comments
Winners and losers from the IndyCar doubleheader at Milwaukee
IndyCar
IndyCar
Milwaukee Race 2
Winners and losers from the IndyCar doubleheader at Milwaukee
Mick Schumacher and Romain Grosjean talk on pit road after Milwaukee clash
IndyCar
IndyCar
Milwaukee Race 2
Mick Schumacher and Romain Grosjean talk on pit road after Milwaukee clash
More from
Renault F1 Team
On this day: Fernando Alonso wins the world title, Michael Schumacher retires from F1
Formula 1
Formula 1
Brazilian GP
9 h
On this day: Fernando Alonso wins the world title, Michael Schumacher retires from F1
“I went back to the car and cried” – Esteban Ocon opens up about his unexpected year on F1 sidelines
Formula 1
Formula 1
“I went back to the car and cried” – Esteban Ocon opens up about his unexpected year on F1 sidelines
You Ask The Questions: Robert Kubica
Formula 1
You Ask The Questions: Robert Kubica
Latest news
Max Verstappen slams “unacceptable” bumps at Austin F1 track: “It's out of control”
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
Max Verstappen slams “unacceptable” bumps at Austin F1 track: “It's out of control”
Kimi Antonelli ready to "finish the job" as first F1 title chance beckons at US GP
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
2 h
Kimi Antonelli ready to "finish the job" as first F1 title chance beckons at US GP
How to watch NASCAR at Talladega II: Weekend schedule, start time, entry list, TV
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Talladega II
2 h
How to watch NASCAR at Talladega II: Weekend schedule, start time, entry list, TV
Peterson Racing addresses online abuse after parting ways with Austin Green
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Talladega II
2 h
Peterson Racing addresses online abuse after parting ways with Austin Green
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe