Haas F1 Confirms Grosjean and Magnussen Retained for 2019
Haas wants more of the same, though presumably with less of Grosjean’s crashing and Magnussen’s rule breaking.
Haas F1 Team confirmed Friday that it will keep Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean for the 2019 season.
Grosjean will continue with the team for its fourth year, and Magnussen for its third. Both rode the dark horse team from eighth in the Constructors' Championship in 2017 to an anticipated fifth in 2018, though inconsistent form and unnecessary retirements have dragged the team's points total downward, as it could theoretically be ahead of Renault rather than 15 points behind.
"From the very beginning, we needed experienced drivers to hasten the development of our car and our team, and we have two very good and experienced drivers in Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen," stated team principal Guenther Steiner. "We've improved drastically from last year to this year, so retaining both drivers was a pretty easy decision."
Steiner also hopes that the team can score at least 100 points in the remainder of 2018, which spans six Grands Prix when including this weekend's Russian Grand Prix.
"I think the 100-point barrier should be and will be broken, and we'll do it with Romain and Kevin. Both drivers push each other to be better, and their collective feedback allows us to be better. It's not a coincidence that in their second year as teammates, Haas F1 Team is having its best year," concluded Steiner. "By keeping Romain and Kevin together, we aim to do even better next year."
Danish publication Ekstra Bladet reports that Haas's contract with Magnussen extends his tenure through 2020, with a one-year option for 2021. No mention is made of the length of Grosjean's contract, but because the Frenchman's place at the team in 2019 was questionable in the first place, a one-year deal would not be out of the question. EB adds that despite Grosjean's flip-flopping 2018 performance so far, he is expected to earn three to four times as much money as Magnussen, owing to the team's bonus structure.
The Drive contacted Haas F1 Team for official comment on its contracts with each driver, but the team declined to comment, citing its policy not to discuss contractual information.
