Steiner pays tribute to departing Haas duo
Haas team principal, Guenther Steiner, has thanked both Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen after their exits were confirmed.
There are now officially two open seats at the American outfit after both Grosjean and Magnussen announced ahead of media day in Portugal that their long-running partnership at Haas was coming to an end.
Grosjean and Magnussen have been team-mates ever since the 2017 season, while the former has been part of Haas’ Formula 1 adventure from the very start in 2016.
The Frenchman was the first to announce his departure.
The 🔚#r8g pic.twitter.com/cegx0UqGDl
— Romain Grosjean (@RGrosjean) October 22, 2020
“The last chapter is closed and the book is finished,” Grosjean said.
“I’ve been with Haas F1 Team since day one.
“Five years during which we went through highs and lows, scored 110 points in 92 races, but the journey was worth it. I’ve learned a lot, improved to be a better driver as well as a better man.
“I hope I’ve also helped people in the team to improve themselves. This is probably my biggest pride, more than any of the crazy first races in 2016 or the P4 at the Austrian GP 2018.
“I wish the team all the best for the future.”
— Kevin Magnussen (@KevinMagnussen) October 22, 2020
Kevin Magnussen added soon after: “The 2020 Formula 1 season will be my last with Haas F1 Team.
“I have had a great time with the team for four years and I look back at a great journey.
“Being part of a brand new team has been a challenge that I have thoroughly enjoyed and it has brought me a huge amount of experience that has helped me grow and develop as a racing driver.
“I would like to thank Gene, Guenther and all of the race team for their loyalty and trust in me over the past four years.
“I am still working on my plans for the future, which I will announce in due course
“There are still six races to do this season, and I am determined to give my all to finish off on a high. Thank you for all your support.”
Steiner, via Haas’ own press release to confirm the news, wanted to place on record his thanks to both drivers for all of their efforts with the team.
“I want to extend my thanks to both Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen for their hard work and commitment to Haas F1 Team over the past few seasons,” he said.
“Romain was a fundamental part of our establishment as we sought to get a driver onboard with both speed and experience.
“His results in early 2016 were a just reward, not only for his own talent, but also for the sheer amount of effort the team had put in to be on the grid that season.
“When Kevin joined a season later, we saw an immediate return with both cars scoring points, and of course, our first double points finish in Monaco that year.
“We have a lot of good memories together – in particular our 2018 season when we finished fifth in the standings in only our third season. Romain and Kevin played a significant part in that success.
“Of course, there is still plenty of racing left in the 2020 season. It’s been a challenging year, no doubt about that, but both drivers have given their all behind the wheel of the VF-20.
“We value their inputs and experience to keep pushing the team forward through to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December.”
Follow us on Twitter @Planet_F1, like our Facebook page and join us on Instagram!
