Lagging behind F1’s leading cars by as much as “one to two seconds” per lap, Gene Haas says his team’s deficit is “really depressing.”

Competing in their second season in Formula 1, Haas managed 29 points in the first 11 races of the campaign with a best result of P6 which Romain Grosjean achieved at the Austrian Grand Prix.

But despite putting in Haas’ strongest showing, the Frenchman still finished the grand prix a full minute behind Mercedes race winner Valtteri Bottas.

It is not unusual for the Haas team-mates to be lapped by the frontrunners with team owner Haas saying the gap to top team is depressing.