F1 2019 Pre-Season Report: Haas

Barcelona, March 8: Ahead of the opening race of the 2019 Formula One season in Australia on March 17, we take a look at how each team is shaping up for the new campaign.

Here we assess whether Haas can build on the sustained progress of their first three years in F1.

HOW DID THEY PERFORM IN 2018?

For the second year running, Haas' campaign got off to a nightmare start as Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen retired from the Australian Grand Prix.

But the team recovered quickly to become consistent top-10 challengers, with Grosjean's fourth-place finish in Austria their best performance of the season.

Having finished eighth in the constructors' championship in 2016 and 2017, Haas improved to fifth last year, only trailing Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and Renault.

THE 2019 LINE-UP

Romain Grosjean

Grosjean suffered a frustrating start to the season in 2018 and had to wait until the ninth race of the season to score his first points.

A stronger second half to the campaign saw him finish 14th in the drivers' championship - one position lower than the previous season but nine points better off.

Kevin Magnussen

Magnussen enjoyed his best season in F1 last year, going one point better than his debut season with McLaren thanks to 11 top-10 finishes.

The Dane's aggressive approach courted controversy at times, but he proved himself a more than equal partner in this team by outperforming Grosjean.

THE TO-DO LIST

- Following the double retirements of the past two seasons in Melbourne, Haas need to get their season off to a better start this time around.

- Having elevated themselves to the front of the midfield, a podium finish or two must be next on the agenda for Haas.

HOW WILL THEY FARE?

Haas' mission will be to finish as best of the rest and it is a feat well within their grasp after encouraging showings in pre-season testing.