Haas F1 Team retains Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean for 2018

American Formula 1 outfit Haas will keep drivers Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean for 2018 according to team owner Gene Haas. The team sits seventh in the constructors' standings with 29 points - three ahead of Renault and four behind Toro Rosso.

Frenchman Grosjean recorded the team's highest finish this year in the Austrian Grand Prix while Dane Magnussen finished seventh in Azerbaijan. In its third F1 season, neither F2 leader Charles LeClerc nor Ferrari Academy driver Antonio Giovinazzi will replace Haas' 2017 duo, though both have taken part in practice sessions for the team in the past.

The team, which has an office in Banbury, near Silverstone, will also avoid losing Grosjean amid rumours that he would move to Haas' engine supplier, Ferrari. Haas will keep Grosjean for a third season while Magnussen stays for a second season, having replaced IndyCar driver Esteban Gutierrez for 2017.

"We will run with the same drivers that we have this year again next year. That is a given. And given the other continuity aspects, we should be better racers next season," said team owner Haas.

Grosjean sits 13th in the drivers' standings, seven points ahead of Magnussen in 14th and Haas says that the replacement of Gutierrez has paid off.

"Esteban was a good driver. He was as fast as Romain [Grosjean] in practice, but I think that Kevin has an edge in terms of race experience.

"But when I remember Baku there could have been an opportunity to get on the podium, as Kevin was third for a while and we were screaming in the garage - 'Keep going, keep going!' A podium, that would have been a milestone for our history.

"He can score points and that was the key for bringing him on board. Kevin can grab points and Romain can too. We now have 29 points. Last year around this time we also had 29 points, but did not score for the rest of the season.

"So now if we can score another 29 points by Abu Dhabi, that would be a great position. It cannot get worse that in the second half of 2016.

Any major upgrades have been all but ruled out by Haas, who said, "our budget is at the low end of all the teams."

"It might not be the lowest [budget] out there, but sure it's not far off. It would cost us more if we had to develop our car on our own as opposed to our leaner business model which basically translates into if we don’t have to make it, we won’t.

"My guess is that we will score at least another 29 points. And next year, without a big car or engine change, and with the drivers the same, that should give us a nice continuity boost."

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