Grosjean despondent over Haas issues

©WRI2

Romain Grosjean's season with Haas appears to be ending on the opposite end of where it started, with the Frenchman at a loss to explain his car's handling issues.

Haas enjoyed a remarkable start to its maiden campaign in F1 with Grosjean scoring points in three of the first four races, but as realty set in, it's since been a struggle for the US outfit and its drivers.

Qualifying last on Saturday was perhaps a bad omen at the outset for Grosjean, who admitted to be mystified by the precarious balance effecting his VF-16 chassis.

The team decided on a late replacement of the car's floor as it reverted to a previous spec, but to no avail as the handling problems persisted, leading to a miserable race weekend.

"We tried to change a few parts to analyse what was going wrong but we haven’t found the problem yet," explained a disappointed Grosjean.

"The car was nowhere. It is difficult to handle, to drive. We didn’t get anything right."

Grosjean insisted on the particularly unpredictable nature of the Haas handling, marked by sudden and inconsistent balance changes.

"Understeer, oversteer, you never know what you’re going to get. The car is pulling left under braking. It feels like something is weird.

"We tried to change a few things overnight but the car was not behaving the way it should. Difficult day in the office."

Haas sister car of Esteban Gutierrez had an equally bad race weekend, with the Mexican crossing the checkered flag of his home Grand Prix down in 19th, just in front of Grosjean.

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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.