Formula 1: Romain Grosjean confirmed at Haas for 2020

Haas have confirmed that Romain Grosjean is set to return to the team for the fifth consecutive year in the 2020 Formula 1 season.

Romain Grosjean has driven for Haas since they entered Formula 1 ahead of the 2016 season. But after he seemed to just barely save his ride with a second-half surge last season, there was speculation that that streak would end this season, as he had been involved in several run-ins with teammate Kevin Magnussen and had been unable to regularly beat the 26-year-old Dane.

But the 33-year-old Frenchman is set to continue driving for the sport’s lone American team through the 2020 season.

Haas confirmed this news along with the confirmation that Magnussen is also set to return for what is slated to be his fourth consecutive season with the team next year.

Here is what Grosjean had to say about the opportunity to continue driving for Haas in the 2020 season, according to the team’s website.

"“I’ve always stated that it was my desire to remain with Haas F1 Team and keep building on the team’s accomplishments. Having been here since the very beginning and seen the work both Gene Haas and Guenther Steiner put into the team to make it competitive, I’m naturally very happy to continue to be a part of that.“To finish fifth in the constructors’ championship last season in only the team’s third year of competing was something very special. We’ve had our challenges this season, but we’ll use both the experience of last year and this year to move forward into 2020. I’m looking forward to working with Kevin (Magnussen) and the whole team and continuing our journey together.”"

Here is what team principal Guenther Steiner had to say about the matter.

"“Experience, and the need for it, has been one of the cornerstones of Haas F1 Team, and with Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen racing for the team in 2020, we continue to have a driver lineup that offers us a solid platform to continue our growth.“Their understanding of how we work as a team, and our knowledge of what they can deliver behind the wheel, gives us a valued continuity and a strong foundation to keep building our team around. It’s been a tough year for us in 2019 with the fluctuation in performance of the VF-19, but our ability to tap into our combined experiences will help us learn, improve, and move forward as a unit in 2020.”"

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Grosjean has competed in 157 races since he began competing in Formula 1 in the 2009 season when he drove part-time for Renault. He landed his first full-time ride with Lotus in the 2012 season, and he spent four seasons driving for the team before landing with Haas, where he has competed in 74 races.

Grosjean has recorded 10 podium finishes throughout his Formula 1 career, all driving for Lotus. He recorded career-high second place finishes in the 2012 Canadian Grand Prix and in the 2013 United States Grand Prix. His best finish at Haas is his fourth place finish in last year’s Austrian Grand Prix, which was the best race in Haas team history, as Magnussen finished right behind him in fifth. The team have never finished on the podium.

Through the first 14 races of the 21-race 2019 season, Haas sit in ninth place out of 10 teams in the constructor standings with 26 points. Grosjean has scored eight of these 26 points on the strength of three top 10 finishes, including a season-high seventh place finish in the German Grand Prix, and he sits in 17th in the driver standings behind Magnussen in 16th with 18 points.

Haas’ confirmation of Romain Grosjean leaves five of the 20 seats among four of the 10 teams unconfirmed for the 2020 Formula 1 season. Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, Alfa Romeo Racing and ROKiT Williams Racing each have one seat open while Scuderia Toro Rosso have both of theirs open.