Romain Grosjean believes Gene Haas’s attitude even during the team’s bad form is the main reason its drivers stayed confident about their chances.
The American outfit entered F1 in 2016 and won points in its first race. But after their first points haul, the team went through several ups and downs in the last two years.
Team owner Gene Haas played an important role in shifting the blame for losses away from the drivers and the staff and that gave them all confidence to perform even better the next time, Grosjean acknowledged.
Grosjean has been with Haas outfit since the time it started. He said: “You try not to lose your self-confidence over the years,”
“I was lucky to have a very good car in 2013 [at Lotus] allowing me a lot of podiums and I’ve known what a very bad car is as well.
“You have to believe in yourself and a team like Haas helps you. When Gene says ‘Our drivers are better than our car’, it’s the best thing a team boss can say.
“It shows a lot of respect for the drivers and it always boosts your confidence.”
Haas, who also owns a NASCAR team, maintains a low profile in F1. But he is vocal when talking about issues that matter, like Haas’s tie-up with Ferrari, the disparity in prize money shared between the teams, etc.
Haas is the real force behind the team’s motivation and helps them reach newer heights.
“Gene appreciates the effort everyone puts in,” said Grosjean. “He knows from NASCAR that racing is complicated and he is very intelligent, he can see a lot what’s happening.
“He is here to support as much as he can, rather than just putting pressure saying ‘I want to see my name up there because I’ve been putting a lot of money into it’.
“He’s got a very positive mentality, and he pushes everyone to get the best out of himself.”
