Guenther Steiner felt the timing of the Virtual Safety Car compromised his Haas F1 Team, and coupled with a late race puncture for Kevin Magnussen, the team left the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with just a solitary point.
Romain Grosjean finished tenth in Spain on Sunday but Team Principal Steiner believes both drivers had the potential for better but for the ill-timing of the VSC and the subsequent time lost left them further down the order than he felt they deserved to be.
Magnussen was on for at least ninth when he clashed with Daniil Kvyat to get his puncture, but Steiner was also downbeat that neither driver was able to get the best out of the Medium compound Pirelli tyre and that the ill-timing of the virtual safety car meant their hand was forced to make the switch sooner than was planned.
“A disappointing end following a good start to the race,” said Steiner. “We were in good positions, the car was going well on the soft tyres, and then the Virtual Safety Car came out.
“We lost all our momentum. It just came out at the wrong time. We went too early onto the medium tyres, not as planned. The medium tyre – we just couldn’t get it to work.
“The guys lost a few positions and then Kevin had a puncture. The only good thing coming out of here is that we got a point. We should have more, but that’s racing.”
