Grosjean: 'Haas in a good place with good baseline'

On the back of his team's good performance but disappointing result last weekend, Haas' Romain Grosjean can't wait to get back in the saddle.

The US outfit put both its drivers in the top ten in qualifying for the opening round of the world championship, and both Grosjean and team mate Kevin Magnussen were running comfortably at the head of the mid-field when a double pitstop error destroyed their afternoon.

Despite the double-blunder and massive disappointment, Grosjean left Australia with a bright view of the upcoming races.

"It was great, it was amazing, and it gives us a lot of hope for the future," he said in the team's preview of next week's Bahrain Grand Prix.

"I’d rather retire fighting for fourth or fifth position than finishing every race in 15th position.

"Obviously, we need to see how it goes on different circuits, but I think it’s a very positive start. We’re all very much looking forward to going to the next race."

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The team's VF-18, which has been targeted by Haas' rivals for its suspicious resemblance to last year's Ferrari, has proven its speed and efficiency out of the box.

"It felt good. We’ve got a very good baseline and we know already where we can improve the car.," added Grosjean.

"We’re working on that. It’s exciting to see that we focus on getting some good performance from the car, rather than just trying to survive or be at the back.

"I think we’re in a good place. We can’t wait to get back racing. A good result will help us to forget Australia.

"Let’s get to Bahrain, let’s do our work, like we did in Australia, focus on our jobs and see where we are at the end. Hopefully, we can have another good surprise."

Looking back one last time at the unfortunate events which unfolded at Albert Park, Grosjean underscored the importance of solidarity within his team, making it a point last Sunday to deliver a word of encouragement to each and every member of his crew after their botched race.

"It’s a team sport, and I believe my team has always been there for me when I needed them.," he says.

"Everything is pushed to its maximum –the driving, the engineering and the pit stops. Mistakes can happen.

"We’re a team, and I was happy to be there for my boys, as I know they’re happy to be there for me when I need them to be."

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