Grosjean and Haas prepping for last stretch mid-field battle

40

Romain Grosjean's main focus in Brazil will be on helping Haas reel in its competitors in F1's tight mid-field battle for P6 in the Constructors' standings.

The US outfit is currently six points adrift of Toro Rosso and just one point behind Renault. Oddly however, Grosjean sees the former as an easier target than the latter.

"I think out of those teams, Renault is the faster one," he says.

"They’ve got a really good car through to the end of the season. They’ve had a bit more of a difficult time in the races, which has allowed us to close the gap and keep them in sight.

"Toro Rosso is the one we can try to go for. They’re not performing better than we are, and they’ve got less experience amongst their drivers, so that should help us.

Magnussen looking 'to get everything out of it' in Brazil

"We’re going to do everything we can to get those positions because it’s very important for the team."

Mexico was a race to forget unfortunately for the 31-year-old. Grosjean's weekend started poorly with a lousy performance in qualifying and ended on the same level after a contact with Fernando Alonso damaged his car.

The Frenchman didn't dwell on his tough weekend, and chose instead to boost his spirit with a regenerating family weekend.

"I think having a family is really good in this aspect," he explains.

"I go back home and I play with the kids. They make you forget you’ve had a tough weekend.

"You can always learn from it, and you need to learn from a tough one, but it doesn’t put you down as it would if you maybe didn’t have a family.

"They just boost me again, and I just use the experience to move forward."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

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.