Haas' Grosjean: 'We'll have to step up our game'

Romain Grosjean says that Haas will need to improve this year to sustain its position at the top of the midfield after "changing leagues" in 2018.

The US outfit, which entered Grand Prix racing in 2016, made significant progress in its third campaign in F1 during which it battled consistently in the upper part of the midfield

However, Haas was beaten to fourth in the Constructors' standings by Renault as the result of its inexperience and a series of costly mistakes.

Sustaining its level of performance in 2019 will require more progress and a season void of errors says Grosjean.

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"It will be a big challenge, especially with the big change of regulation, but I think our goal is to try and get fourth, behind the top three," Grosjean said.

"So we'll have to step up our game. I think in 2018 what we learned was that we changed league, from the back of the midfield to the front of the midfield.

"There are things that you can do, mistakes that you could do, but now you cannot, because everything counts, you need to be more precise, you need to be more accurate.

"But it was a great year in terms of learning all of that, so I think the team is now ready to keep improving, keep going and if the baseline of the car is as good as it was last year, than there is no reason that we shouldn't be able to fight for fourth."

Grosjean collaboration with Haas, which started with the team's inception, looked last summer like it would perhaps not be extended given the multiple mishaps endured by the French driver.

The 32-year-old, who has yet to win a Grand Prix, extended his contract with his team for 2019, and will therefore race once again alongside team mate Kevin Magnussen.

But if Haas continues its forward march, Grosjean would love to prolong his stay.

"I think I've got many more years, I don't know if I am going to finish at Haas or not," he added.

"For sure, we've got a contract and then we need to talk for the future, but it is a team I like and I feel very much part of it, and so I'd love to be here.

"Obviously I would love to win races, and I hope Formula 1 is going to make changes for 2021, so it is not only Mercedes, Ferrari and sometimes Red Bulls, that wins, and in that case I would be very very happy to stay here."

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