F1 testing 2018: Haas's Grosjean sets Barcelona test one pace target
Romain Grosjean says the Haas Formula 1 team aims to be "within a second" of the pacesetting car in next week's opening pre-season test at Barcelona

The American outfit, which is preparing for its third season in grand prix racing, was 2.5 seconds off the fastest time in its debut test in 2016 but reduced that gap to 1.9s during last year's pre-season running.
Its 2017 car made the third part of qualifying on a number of occasions during the season and its lowest gap to pole in the final qualifying segment was recorded in Monaco, where Romain Grosjean lapped 1.171s slower than the pole-sitting Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen.
Team owner Gene Haas said earlier this month that his team needed to be within half a second of engine supplier Ferrari "to be competitive" in the near future.
Asked how he hoped Haas's VF-18 would perform in the upcoming test, Grosjean said: "Ideally, within a second of the fastest car on the track.
"Even though testing is always a little unclear, you never know what people are doing with fuel loads and tires and so on.
"We generally have a pretty good idea of where we are.
"I want to be happy with the car and I want to be able to know where we can improve. I want a good early set-up for Melbourne."

Team principal Gunther Steiner stressed the team's primary aim at Barcelona was to have a trouble-free test.
"Hopefully, we are reliable. I hope we don't have a lot of issues," he said. "That always helps and it gives you confidence for going racing.
"The expectation is always the same. We want to run as much as possible and to learn as much as possible.
"We've now got more people working back at the factory that can analyse data. Before, this was an area where we were perhaps a little weak.
"We're growing. We're always getting better, and to get better you need time.
"With having more people, we can do more to get prepared for the first race."
Grosjean said the new VF-18 was "pretty much the same philosophy" as its predecessor.
"It looks like last year's in some places, but there's much more work behind the scenes," he said. "Everything's been better prepared."

FIA in new push to prevent Formula 1 customer engine inequality
McLaren F1 launch: Fernando Alonso promises fans 'good times'

Latest news
The “solemn promise” that cost quiet hero Brooks an F1 title
After two terrifying crashes, one of the best British racers of the 1950s retired before his career peaked. But that’s why GP Racing’s MAURICE HAMILTON was able to speak to Tony Brooks in 2014. Like his friend Stirling Moss, Brooks was regarded as one of the best drivers never to have won the world championship. Here, as our tribute to Brooks who died last month, is that interview in full
Inside the Faenza facility where AlphaTauri’s F1 pragmatic vision is realised
AlphaTauri’s mission in F1 is to sell clothes and train young drivers rather than win the championship – but you still need a cutting-edge factory to do that. Team boss Franz Tost takes GP Racing’s OLEG KARPOV on a guided tour of a facility that’s continuing to grow
Connecting two of Ferrari's favourite F1 sons
Gilles Villeneuve's exploits behind the wheel of a Ferrari made him a legend to the tifosi, even 40 years after his death. The team's current Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc enjoys a similar status, and recently got behind the wheel of a very special car from the French-Canadian’s career
How a 30cm metal wire triggered open warfare in the F1 paddock
Porpoising has become the key talking point during the 2022 Formula 1 season, as teams battle to come to terms with it. An FIA technical directive ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix and a second stay appearing on the Mercedes cars only served to create a bigger debate and raise tensions further
Does Verstappen have any weaknesses left?
Having extended his Formula 1 points lead with victory in Canada, Max Verstappen has raised his game further following his 2021 title triumph. Even on the days where Red Bull appears to be second best to Ferrari, Verstappen is getting the most out of the car in each race. So, does he have any weaknesses that his title rivals can exploit?
How F1's future fuels can shape the automotive sector
In 2026, Formula 1 plans to make the switch to a fully sustainable fuel, as the greater automotive world considers its own alternative propulsion methods. Biogasoline and e-fuels both have merit as 'drop-in' fuels but, equally, both have their shortcomings...
The breakthrough behind Sainz’s best weekend of F1 2022 so far
OPINION: Carlos Sainz came close to winning in Monaco but needed that race’s specific circumstances for his shot at a maiden Formula 1 victory to appear. Last weekend in Canada, he led the line for Ferrari in Charles Leclerc’s absence from the front. And there’s a key reason why Sainz has turned his 2022 form around
Canadian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
Plenty of high scores but just a single perfect 10 from the first Montreal race in three years, as Max Verstappen fended off late pressure from Carlos Sainz. Here’s Autosport’s assessment on the Formula 1 drivers from the Canadian Grand Prix