Gene Haas, the founder of the eponymous F1 outfit, is happy with what he's seen so far from the team's new spec VF17.
While Kevin Magnussen's debut with the US team in Australia was nothing to write home about, team mate Romain Grosjean provided a glimpse of Haas' potential with a scintillating 'best of the rest' 6th place performance in qualifying.
Many suggested the US squad would struggle in its second F1 season, but although the mid-field pack is tremendously close, Haas appears to be in the upper half based on its current level of performance.
"Two seconds behind the top are five teams within half a second," Gene Haas told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.
The team's owner is satisfied, and considers that overall, the Ferrari-powered VF17 is a good design.
"It is a car without weaknesses and a very strong engine. And Grosjean complained less about the car than usual in Melbourne. That's a good sign," Haas smiled.
On the future of his team, the 64-year-old businessman insists he is delighted with its current sub-contracting arrangement with Dallara and Ferrari, and happy to keep things small in the future.
"We do not want to become too big," he said. "Size means bureaucracy."
And as for goals for 2017, Haas revealed: "We want to be at the front end of the midfield and score regularly.
"Realistically the first six places are filled by Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull. Behind them is the race for seventh to tenth places."
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