Slow Haas aims to step up performance despite tyre issues

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Haas' running on Thursday was a disappointing affair, the US outfit's drivers struggling for grip around Monaco's twisty layout.

Both Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen failed to get their VF-18 up to speed, concluding their day of free practice in the lower tier of the field.

"We haven’t been able to find a sweet spot on the car and we haven’t found the grip we wanted to have for around here," complained Grosjean.

"Obviously, we’re not very happy with the positions. Hopefully, we’re going to get the tires to work better, get the grip out of them, and then the performance should rise quite nicely.

"Right now, we’re not looking like we’d make it to Q3, but it’s about finding the grip on the track."

Magnussen happy at Haas - but willing to look at top teams too

Team boss Guenther Steiner also underlined the VF-18's tyre issues, especially in the early part of a lap around the Principality.

"When we go over the start/finish line the tyres are not in the window," said Steiner.

"In sector two I think we are 10th-fastest, roughly. At sector three we are also not so bad.

"So it’s mainly sector one I think we are going in a little bit too cold on the tyres. And then you lose your confidence, as you say, turn one if you brake and the front doesn’t grip you’re in trouble."

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Kevin Magnussen, the man who has delivered to Haas all of its 19 championship points this season, is confident the team can put in a strong performance despite its problematic start to the weekend.

"Obviously, we’re not where we wanted to be today, in terms of pace, and also in terms of not getting much running in FP1," said the Dane.

"I’m hoping for a better day on Saturday. We’ve got lots of time to work on the car with having Friday off, at least from driving, and we can think a lot more about the setup.

"Hopefully, we’ll improve the situation for qualifying.

"The whole field is very tight, so even though it looks bad position-wise, we don’t have to find that much time to go quite a bit forward."

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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.