Hectic qualifying session yields good result for Haas

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Saturday afternoon's Belgian GP rain-impacted Q3 turned into a bit of a lottery for everyone but Haas made the most of the final qualifying segment, with Romain Grosjean earning himself a strong P5 grid position.

The Frenchman's performance equaled the US outfit's best qualifying effort to date, but it was a tricky affair when the rain intensified, forcing drivers to tip-toe their way around Spa.

"It wasn’t easy, but it’s great to have a qualifying session like this – beating some of the top teams and ending just behind the Force Indias, who were very strong in the wet conditions," said Grosjean.

"We’re fast in the dry as well, which is good. I think we were in front of one of the Red Bulls most of the time – that’s quite exciting, as well.

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"I was ready to give it all in Q3, and then the rain came and added to the fun. It was a close call at the start, whether we tried a lap on slicks to begin with," he added.

"I was tempted to go for it, but I think it was just too wet, so everyone went for the intermediates.

"I’m happy with our performance, especially knowing that our last qualifying in the wet, we were not so good."

Kevin Magnussen concluded the grid-defining session with the ninth fastest lap, but admitted he had not got it right.

"It had a lot of potential to be good, and in those kinds of conditions, you can make a big difference. You can also mess it up, which I did," said the Dane.

"The track was dry on the last lap. You go out on the intermediates, and it’s wet with spray. It doesn’t look like it’s going to dry up, so you push with everything you can.

"Then on the second lap, the tyres are already gone. By the third lap, the track was so dry that you get massively faster again, but today I missed out, whereas the likes of the Force Indias got their big chance.

"It’s exciting, but obviously it’s disappointing when it’s not gone your way. At the end of the day, two cars in Q3 is good, and we made some good steps in the dry in Q1 and Q2.

"We were running in the top-10 consistently. I think the car’s race pace is good, so tomorrow should be interesting."

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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.