Haas still in learning mode when it comes to tyres - Steiner

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Haas team boss Guenther Steiner says the US outfit vastly improved its understanding of tyre management in 2018, but still hasn't finished learning about the rubber.

Haas' third year in F1 logically saw the team make further progress and build on its experience, firmly establishing itself as a top mid-field contender.

Steiner doesn't believe this year's step up in performance was linked to a specific area, but the Italian did pinpoint tyre management - a weakness last season - as a factor of improvement.

"There is never one key thing that you learn. You just grow as a team and get better by doing it," explained the Haas boss.

"The only thing which helps is time. For sure, you should be better in year three than in year two, and we were.

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"You learn, but by no means have we finished learning about the tyres.

"What works at one track may not work at another – not only because the compounds and tyres change, but also because the track surface changes.

"Even if we have the same tyres from one race to another, it doesn’t mean they perform the same because the track surface and temperatures are different," he added.

"There are so many things that go along with this, so you will never have a perfect understanding, but you get better with every race."

Haas opted for an unorthodox approach when it joined the ranks of Grand Prix racing, based on a close - a bit too close according to its rivals - technical partnership with Ferrari. And today, the team's results appear to have validated the much decried form of collaboration.

"I wouldn’t say our approach is better than the other setups, but it seems to be working for us," said Steiner.

"It’s difficult to prove it right or wrong because we cannot do things the typical way. For sure, it’s not hindering us from having good results."

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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.