Bearman and Ocon praise ‘incredibly hard’ work from Haas F1 Team ahead of Austrian GP
Banbury’s TGR Haas F1 Team have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to close the gap back up to their midfield rivals ahead of this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix.
Haas started the season brilliantly and the American outfit were fourth in the constructors’ standings after the first two rounds – remarkably ahead of Red Bull.
Points have been claimed in three of the five races since Ollie Bearman’s impressive fifth-placed finish in China, however the rate they have been scored has slowed.
Now down in seventh on 21 points, Haas are falling further behind the likes of Alpine (57) and Racing Bulls (41) as the weeks go on.
It has been a particularly disappointing few weeks for Bearman, who has not finished either of the last two grands prix in Monaco and Barcelona.
But there are now a host of opportunities to score points in quick succession, with four races in the next five weeks.
“As we get into the final two double-headers before the break, there’s a lot we as a team need to accomplish before we can leave for summer satisfied,” Bearman admitted ahead of the trip to Austria.
“These are tracks we all have a lot of experience at, so we must come into each weekend knowing our targets and put quite simply, meet them.
“I know everyone is working incredibly hard, I can feel we’re learning and understanding more each day, it’s just about putting it all together consistently.
“The Red Bull Ring is a fun track to drive, it’s one of the fastest of the year, not to mention the scenery is a standout part of the weekend – we don’t race anywhere prettier.”
Ocon, who scored Haas’ most recent two points in Monaco, is excited to go racing this weekend at a circuit which suits his strengths.
“It’s good to be back racing in Austria, one of the classic tracks on the calendar,” Ocon added.
“The Red Bull Ring has a good flow of corners with big undulations, and it’s a pleasure to drive.
“The atmosphere in the Austrian countryside is also pretty special, and the fans always show some good support.
“We’ve prepared well for this weekend, working with the engineers and being in the simulator.
“We know we’ll have to start the weekend strong, execute cleanly, and build up well to qualifying and the race.”
The Austrian Grand Prix gets underway at 2pm on Sunday, June 28.