Haas preview the Canadian GP

Romain Grosjean heads to Montreal encouraged by his VF16’s handling while Esteban Gutierrez is feeling “more comfortable and confident”…

Romain Grosjean You mentioned at Monaco that despite the result, you felt more comfortable with the car. What are you feeling in the car that’s different from what you experienced in Spain? RG: “The car reacted much better to what we were doing, and to my driving style. That was a good thing, and a good direction. We got back to more common settings and worked from there.”

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a semi street circuit. Is there anything you can take from Monaco and apply to Montreal, especially considering Pirelli is bringing the same tire compounds from Monaco? RG: “It’s a city circuit, but very different from Monaco. There are a few things we can bring forward, but not much.”

Canada is known as the hardest-braking grand prix of the year. What do you need to feel in the car to make the most of your car’s braking capability, and how do you manage your brakes for the entire, 70-lap race? RG: “Hopefully, we don’t have to manage the brakes too much, which is normally a good thing for a driver. For the setup, you want a stable car for the braking. You also want the confidence to be able to brake late and to not have any instability or locking up on the entry phase into a corner.”

Montreal is home to one of your best finishes in Formula One – a second-place effort in 2012. What do you remember about that race and how did you achieve that result? RG: “That was a great race. I started P7. I had a one-stop strategy while everyone else was on a two-stop strategy. Initially, I thought I would finish fifth or sixth as I was stuck behind the Mercedes of (Nico) Rosberg. I couldn’t overtake. Then, everyone pitted. The ones who didn’t were really struggling with grip, so I could overtake them. I didn’t quite have the pace to chase Lewis (Hamilton) and take the win.”

How important was that second-place finish at Montreal in 2012 during that early portion of your Formula One career? RG: “It was a great race and, obviously, a great result. I always try to do my best. It was a good race. I enjoyed it. It’s always important to strive for the highest finish you can and be as high on the podium as possible.”

What is your favorite part of the Circuit Gilles …

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