Formula 1: Haas set for first season with new title sponsor Rich Energy

Rich Energy Haas are set to enter their first Formula 1 season with the British energy drink company serving as their title sponsor.

Haas have been the lone American team in Formula 1 since they entered the sport ahead of the 2016 season. That is set to continue to be the case in the 2019 season, but starting in the 2019 season, which is set to be their fourth season of competition in the sport, Rich Energy is set to serve as their title sponsor.

This past October, the United Kingdom-based energy drinks company, which failed in an attempt to purchase Force India this past summer, signed with Haas to be their title sponsor starting in the 2019 season. The sport’s lone American team have never previously had a title sponsor in Formula 1.

Here is what Rich Energy Haas team principal Guenther Steiner had to say at the time about Rich Energy becoming the team’s title sponsor for the 2019 season and beyond, according to The Drive.

"“Securing a title partner in Rich Energy is another milestone moment in the development of Haas F1 Team. We welcome their commitment to us as an organization, and together we share an ambition to advance further in our respective fields. It’s going to be exciting for us as a team to be the focal point of Rich Energy’s marketing endeavors, as we go into both new and existing consumer markets around the world in Formula 1.”"

Here is what Rich Energy CEO William Storey had to say at the time about the matter, according to The Drive.

"“We are delighted to become the official title partner of Haas F1 Team in Formula One. Our companies share a synergy in our work ethos, and our desire to bring something new to the table in an environment made up of established brands. We revel in competition, and through our distinctive collaboration, we’re looking to further prosper, delivering an exciting concept for the promotion of Rich Energy to the consumer along the way.”"

As a result of their new title sponsorship agreement with Rich Energy, the liveries of Rich Energy Haas’ two cars are set to feature black with gold highlights to resemble Rich Energy’s color scheme.

Here are some pictures of this livery.

Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen are set to drive for Rich Energy Haas in the 2019 season after driving for Haas as teammates in the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Grosjean has driven for the team since they entered the sport.

Grosjean and Magnussen are two of only four teammates from the 2018 season who are set to continue to be teammates in the 2019 season and are set to drive for the same teams for which they drove in the 2018 season. Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport teammates Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas are the other two.

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After finishing in eighth place in the constructor standings in both the 2016 season and the 2017 season with 29 points and 47 points, respectively, Haas finished in fifth in the standings in the 2018 season with 93 points, although the point total that Force India earned throughout the season as both Sahara Force India and Racing Point Force India was technically better than that of Haas.

This was the case despite the fact that the team had a potential double top five finish slip away from them in the season opener, the Australian Grand Prix, as a result of wheel issues with both of their cars.

Without this misfortune, they would have been right up there with Renault Sport in the “best of the rest” battle for fourth place in the constructor standings behind Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull Racing, the three teams that have combined to win each of the last 118 Formula 1 races going back to the 2013 season.

Grosjean recorded the team’s best ever finish by finishing in fourth place in the Austrian Grand Prix. Magnussen’s fifth place finish in this race allowed the team to earn their first ever double top five finish in Formula 1.

In the 2016 season, Grosjean finished in 13th place in the driver standings while teammate Esteban Gutierrez finished in a tie for 21st, as he failed to score any points throughout the season. In the 2017 season, Grosjean finished in 13th in the standings while Magnussen finished in 14th, and in the 2018 season, Magnussen finished in ninth while Grosjean finished in 14th.

With Rich Energy Haas having clearly showed improvement over the course of the last few seasons, the 2019 season could and should be their best season yet, especially given the advantages of having their new title sponsorship agreement with Rich Energy.

It would not be surprising to see Rich Energy Haas finish as the “best of the rest” in the constructor standings in the 2019 season, and it would certainly not be surprising to see Grosjean or Magnussen finish as the “best of the rest” in the driver standings, either.

How will the newly branded Rich Energy Haas perform in the 2019 Formula 1 season? Where will they finish in the constructor standings, and where will their drivers, Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen, finish in the driver standings?

The Australian Grand Prix is the first of 21 races on the 2019 schedule, and it is scheduled to take place at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne, Australia on Sunday, March 17 at 1:10 a.m. ET, at which time it is set to be broadcast live on ESPN. Be sure not to miss this race or any of the other 20 races on this year’s schedule. To see the full 2019 schedule, click here.