With 29 points through the first eleven races, 2017 has already been a successful year for Haas, having equalled their 2016 points total.
Jettisoning Esteban Gutierrez for Kevin Magnussen, the team was able to score points at eight of the first nine races, having continually made the most of their starting grid slots to snag a few extra places.
No longer carrying the novelty of being a new team on the grid, their progress has gone somewhat under-the-radar, but such is life in the midfield – something the team has quickly grown accustomed to.
Romain Grosjean
Somehow simultaneously miserable and moderately successful, 2017 has been a weird year for Grosjean. Every weekend he seems to have a new gripe about the VF-17 (so much so that you’d think he’s driving for a bottom-feeder) but that hasn’t stopped him from continuing to be the team’s spearhead and deliver a decent haul of points. No, he’s not quite regarded as the hot prospect he was in his Lotus days, but he’s cemented himself as a worthy presence on the grid, and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.
Rating: 7/10 for driving, but 10/10 for radio tirades
Kevin Magnussen
Another year, another team for Magnussen, who is yet to return to the heights of his debut podium, both in terms of actual results and talent on display. Sure, it’s no shame to trail Romain Grosjean in the driver’s standings, but for someone once so highly regarded, you’d have hoped the Frenchman would bring out another level in him. However as things stand, he’s been a solid, if unspectacular driver.
Rating: 5/10
Team Rating
Arguably the only team that could already call their season a successful one, Haas have proven to be a fine addition to the F1 grid. That said, 2017 hasn’t been all roses, with a package that isn’t exactly the most consistent – as Romain Grosjean has been quick to let us know – with the ongoing brake issues being particular cause for concern. Expect the second half to be far tougher than the first as the development race heats up – especially with the deep pockets of Renault and McLaren behind them – but all they can do is handle their own business, and so far they’ve done that more than ably.
Rating: 8/10
Big Question: How do you rate the Haas team and drivers so far this season?