New Haas F1 team will hit the ground running, says recruit Grosjean

Grosjean , bringing to an end what will be four seasons with Lotus come the end of this year.

The 29-year-old Frenchman firmly believes that Haas will buck the trend of new teams failing to make an impact in recent years.

Asked about his reasonable expectations for 2016, Grosjean replied: "That's always a question you get at the beginning of the year.

"It's a tough one to answer when you know your team, and it's even more difficult to know when it's the first time a new car is on track.

"From what I've seen we should be able to run straightaway without having the problems of a new team, which was part of my reflection on the decision.

"I think it would be really good to score a few points early in the season for a new American team, which has a lot of support behind us.

"They have a new approach to Formula 1, one that is going to work.

"I spent 10 years at Enstone, and it would have been easy to have stayed there.

"On the other hand I want to try to win races, win championships, and I thought coming here to Haas would be a good step to achieving that."

It is Haas' alliance with Ferrari, with the Scuderia providing the newcomer with a power unit and other key components, which would appear to give them an edge.

Team owner Gene Haas has revealed the team is firmly on track for 2016, and is already starting to plan for '17, when a new set of technical regulations will be introduced.

"Our primary purpose here is to show that as an American manufacturer we can compete in the most competitive series of car racing in the world," said Haas.

"In order to achieve that goal, our direction has been to do whatever it takes.

"When we started out we didn't say, 'We're here as Americans and we'll do it the American way'.

"Our goal is to race competitive teams, and whatever it takes to get that car on the grid is what we are looking for.

"And when we get to the grid we won't be developing a car. We'll be ready to go, the car will be fully developed.

"Later this year we start to get to work on the 2017 car, so we're a little bit ahead of where other teams new teams have been in the past."