Anniversary at Haas: 'Now an established Formula 1 team'

No doubt there will be champagne in Haas F1's pit box this weekend. The expected rain will undoubtedly give the modest team a chance for a fine result in the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, but in any case, it can be celebrated that the US team has completed 150 F1 races. In a world where it is often a coming and going of teams, a handsome milestone.

Does the name Manor ring a bell? Marussia perhaps, or Caterham? Teams that did their laps in Formula 1 for a blue Monday in the previous decade (no more than that, anyway). Or longer ago Pacific? Onyx - Super Aguri? As quickly as they made their entrée, they also soon gave up again, usually for financial reasons.

When Gene Haas - a respected figure in American motorsport - and his team were admitted to Formula 1 in 2014, there was doubt among some. Would Haas F1 become the next in line of former F1 teams? It has to be said: the first years were not exactly easy with money, but despite a limited budget, Haas managed to stay afloat. Results were mixed (more often disappointing than good), but since 2016, Haas has become a fixture on the grid.

Time flew by

Haas has never finished on the podium, a fourth-place finish in Austria by Romain Grosjean (in 2018) being the best result. Once, thanks to Kevin Magnussen, the team managed to grab pole. Out of 150 Grands Prix, the Dane was present 106 times for the Americans. "It doesn’t feel like that much as it’s all gone by very quickly", Magnussen said. "It’s been a fantastic ride so far and we’ve had some super special moments – of course topped by the pole position last year in Brazil, but there’s been many more exciting moments."

In its eighth season in Formula 1, Haas has yet to make the (definitive) step towards the midfield or the sub-top. That makes scoring points extra special. "Because it’s such a small team in a very big sport, competing against some giant organizations. We’ve truly come from being real underdogs to being an established Formula 1 team. We’re still one of the smaller ones but the growth and the journey overall has been phenomenal", Magnussen said.