Gene Haas bewildered by gap with top three teams

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Gene Haas is at a loss to explain the huge deficit which exists between F1's mid-pack and the three teams running at the front.

The Haas F1 Team has acquitted itself well in relative terms since entering Formula 1 in 2016.

The US outfit is seventh in the Constructors' standings and races in close contention along with its mid-field rivals, but at a long distance from Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull Racing.

A state of affairs which baffles Haas and leaves the team owner 'really depressed'.

"I think we have two good drivers right now, they’ve both scored points, the car’s very good," Haas told Motorsport.com.

"But the real cloud that hangs over us is the fact we’re one to two seconds [a lap] off the fastest cars.

"And quite frankly we don’t understand we can be that far off with what we consider to be state-of-the-art equipment.

"Other than the top three teams, everybody’s in that boat. That to me is probably the biggest problem that I see right now, that the top three teams are light years ahead of everybody else.

"They are also the teams that develop their own engines, transmissions and chassis, so there’s an inherent advantage in doing that.

"How do we overcome that? Quite frankly there’s no answer to that, which is really depressing."

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As Formula 1 works to define its future beyond the 2020 regulation change, Haas underscores the necessity bridge the gap between the winning teams and the also rans.

"That’s a dilemma that F1 is facing," Haas added.

"You have the teams at the front and then this big mid-pack… we’re all very close together, matter of fact the mid-pack is all within a second.

"So from a competitive standpoint we’re all very equal, it’s just you have this group way out in front that we’re all struggling with.

“The reality of it is, that outside those three teams nobody has a chance to win. If you’re running sixth through 20th, you really don’t have a chance of winning."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.