Lo and behold, Haas' tyres are 'gripping' in Barcelona!

©Haas

Romain Grosjean's satisfaction on Friday was clear to see, the Haas driver buoyed by his performance in free practice in Barcelona and his "gripping" tyres.

Pirelli's rubber has been a massive source of frustration so far for Haas, with the US outfit's VF-19 chassis struggling to keep its tyre temperatures at the optimal level for more than a few laps.

Last time out in Baku, neither Grosjean or team mate Kevin Magnussen made the Q3 cut in qualifying and race day brought more disappointment, with tyres once again at the center of the drivers' grievances.

However, Barcelona - a familiar terrain where Haas performed well in pre-season testing - appears to have alleviated the team's tyre woes, with Grosjean concluding both FP1 and FP2 as 'best of the rest'.

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"It was good today, I think both our cars behaved really well," said the Frenchman.

"We got the tyres working, had some pace, so it was much more fun in the car.

"We’re still evaluating everything with the package, we can probably find a bit more from it. It’s always tricky when you get a new one to find the right set-up around it."

Grosjean - who insists that Haas' car is the benchmark by which other midfield teams should be comparing themselves - admitted his VF-19 was unrecognizable around the Circuit de Catalunya, for the better.

©Haas

"I think the biggest thing today was getting the tyres to work, it just wasn’t the same car. I could actually enjoy driving it, I knew what I was going to get.

"The tyres were gripping, they weren’t sliding and going away and destroying themselves. It was a big difference.

"It’s a bit of a shame we’ve got to put in so much effort for a piece of rubber, but clearly it shows where we need to improve.

"We need to do more, especially for Monaco and Canada, but coming back here and being able to enjoy two good sessions, it shows that the problem has not been our chassis, it’s related to tire usage.

"It’s been a positive day, I’ve enjoyed driving the car. I’m sure there’s going to be more to come from it."

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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.