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Seeing the Haas F1 Team trucks lined up as I ventured into the Circuit de Catalunya's paddock late on Sunday afternoon provided an apt reminder of the oft-torturous and controversial path that had led the first American Formula 1 project in three decades to Spain, almost three years after its formation was first mooted.

Haas is not, of course, the first US team to set its sights on F1 this millennium. Nor even F1's first newcomer since the big-budget Toyota programme in 2002. In 2010, four newbies were listed, including the ultimately doomed USF1 project, whose $40 million business model sparked then-FIA president Max Mosley's ill-fated drive to attract budget teams.

It is also not the first to harbour ambitions of bringing constructors' glory to America. And not even the first 'Haas' to grace an F1 entry list. Those accolades belong to the unrelated Beatrice-Haas, which did score points even if it failed dismally in its ultimate quest. That said, it was a Haas car in entrant-name only; the chassis was built by Lola, which in turn owned the design's intellectual property.

Of three teams to eventually line up in Bahrain in 2010 - albeit with final assembly taking place in Sakhir's pitlane in HRT's case - HRT and Lotus/Caterham plunged into liquidation within five years, while Virgin/Marussia/Manor now races under its third ownership.

Those cases prove just how difficult it is to make F1's grid, let alone make a fist of it. Thus, to unveil a car and all of the associated kit on the opening day of testing is in itself a massive achievement, even if there was a (rapidly rectified) glitch with the front wing. On the second day, Haas covered the equivalent of a full grand prix distance.

This column first heard rumours about machine-tool magnate – and NASCAR team co-owner with Tony Stewart – Gene Haas's plans to enter motorsport's upper echelon in October 2013. Gunther Steiner, the ex-Jaguar Racing technical director who had moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, to occupy a similar role for Red Bull's Toyota NASCAR team, was said to be the prime 'doer'.

Steiner's link to Haas made perfect sense. The Italian from the German-speaking South Tyrol region had founded a composites company primarily supplying NASCAR teams.

During this column's visit to USF1's Charlotte base in 2009, Steiner had been touted as a would-be supplier to that team. During an off-the-record chat at his shop, he implied his intention of returning to F1. As a team principal...

Over the years he had attended various grands prix, and thus his presence at the 2013 US GP was no surprise. However, he proved predictably evasive when approached about the nascent project in Austin's paddock – indirectly cementing his credentials as F1 team boss!

By Christmas that year, the Haas rumours had sufficient legs to justify a call to Steiner, in the process using surprise to provide a little wriggle room. At the time he was travelling across the USA, from Charlotte to Indianapolis, in icy conditions, and later admitted to almost veering off the road, such was his surprise at the directness of the questions put to him.

Sorry, Gunther, but that first FIA press conference beckons.

The son of a butcher, whose entry into motorsport came via rallying, was understandably anxious to keep the project under wraps until the FIA opened its stringent entry process, but equally knew he had been found out.

Thus a deal such as that struck with USF1 – when this column got wind of that outfit's intentions – was agreed. In exchange for exclusivity, not a word would be published until the green light. True to his promise, Steiner kept this writer in the loop until D-Day, and in April 2015 honoured a deal for an exclusive visit to Haas Racing HQ outside Charlotte.

By January 2014 Gene Haas was ready to go public. He applied for an entry but, crucially, pushed for a year's delay to prevent falling into USF1's 'time trap', and would enter under a component-sharing deal (with Ferrari) where permitted. Similar deals were discussed with other teams, but only Ferrari's then-management took up the proposal.

It subsequently transpired that three prospective teams had applied for the FIA's (maximum of two) entry slots, with only Haas receiving the nod.

That speaks volumes for the strength of the team's application, for entry requirements have tightened considerably after the Mosley administration all-but opened the process in 2009.

Steiner had clearly done his homework, and the concept of sourcing parts – save those for which teams are required to hold the intellectual property, termed 'listed parts' – from Ferrari sent shockwaves through the paddock. It resulted in a last-ditch 'Request for Settlement' from Mercedes in Abu Dhabi last November, over the legality of Haas's venture with Ferrari.

Although pronounced legal, certain definitions were amended for future teams.

Haas's expected grid peers also procure major components externally. Force India, for example, buys its engine, transmission and hydraulics systems from Mercedes, but Haas has pushed the outsourcing philosophy to the absolute limit. This is proven by headcounts – Force India employs 300 staff, around 50 per cent more than Haas.

In three years, staff numbers spiralled from one (Steiner) to 185. These were split between 115 on firm contracts (65 on the UK payroll, the balance in Kannapolis) and 70 on 'soft' contracts to Haas, but based at Dallara in Italy, where car build and component sourcing is undertaken on a contract basis.

Steiner believes the team may grow to around 200 heads, but "not much higher, it won't go to 400". He won't be drawn on the team's overall budget, but concedes that the figure is in the $120m (￡80m) ballpark. On that basis it falls between Sauber/Force India and Manor Racing – the very teams it's likely to come up against directly, even if only in the early stages.

"The machined parts for the windtunnel model are manufactured in Kannapolis," Steiner explains. "And our CFD with, I think, 14 people, is based there, as are finance, marketing and human resources. That adds up to about 50 heads in the USA."

Unlike British teams, Haas budgets in US dollars, yet settles its payrolls in a combination of that currency, plus GBP and euros, which surely causes administrative and budgetary nightmares.

In response to the first point, Steiner admits that budgeting is far from easy, then further complicated by volatile currencies, but says: "Our finance department takes the risk; because you have no influence anyway, you need to take a calculated risk." Clearly Haas Automation's international finance experience will stand the operation in good stead.

Then there is the question of a deal with commercial rights holder Formula One Management, which strung Marussia (Manor) along before finally offering parsimonious terms, then let Renault's takeover of Lotus edge to the brink before a deal was cut. Has progress been made since Steiner first approached FOM CEO Bernie Ecclestone with his plans three years ago?

"Let us say we are at a 'make and shake' point, but I am most encouraged by the progress we have made," he offers.

Enormous strides have, though, been taken on the hardware side since Steiner first approached Gene Haas and Joe Custer, CEO of Haas's racing empire, with his concept.

Not only was a new 14,000-square-yard double-deck building situated at 4001 Haas Way (Stewart Haas Racing is next door, at 6001) in Kannapolis built, but the former Manor base in Banbury was acquired after that team hit issues. Such investments indicate enormous trust in his abilities.

"I would say yes, as much as you can, give free reign," Steiner says of the relationship. "I have to report back and explain what I'm doing, but I was never told how to do it.

"That's why they took me. We spoke for a few years, and this came up and they decided I can do it. We still have a long way to go, but all that I promised I did. But they gave me free rein with a good reporting structure, and I hope they're happy."

In setting up the team from scratch, Steiner clearly needed to delegate.

As much as Haas and Custer trusted him, he relies on his core team of chief designer Rob Taylor, former Ferrari and Red Bull aerodynamicist Ben Agathangelou, sporting director Dave O'Neal, and former McLaren logistics man Peter Crolla.

"I was involved in everything," Steiner says. "Got the people together, got good people, then when they have to work we discuss it, evaluate it and try to make the best decision we can. These are good people. You need a lot of supporting staff as well, administration, finance, doing the contracts, all that stuff."

While they did much of the legwork, Steiner was involved every step of the way, even taking part in the recruitment process to ensure cultural 'fit'.

"Every team member I interviewed myself at the last step, before taking them on," he says. "Everyone.

"I may have missed one or two because I was somewhere and they needed to take on, but otherwise... mechanics, truck drivers, everyone.

"I didn't interview them to see if they could do the job – the manager had to do that. I just interviewed if I think it fits in what we want to do, if the person wants to do this like we want to do it."

It is, of course, premature to make predictions for F1's newest team. But technically, commercially, operationally and politically, Steiner and co blazed new trails while hitting every target – albeit without appearing political. That is, in itself, a vital skillset, the absence of which arguably contributed to the downfalls of the last newcomers.

So, where does Steiner see the team heading in its maiden season?

"I think in Australia the objective is to get into Q2 and, if possible, to get a point home," he says. "And otherwise finish in the top 15, but to do the best we can. You know, just be respectable out there."

Has he divided the season into two parts, a sort of learning phase and a consolidation period?

"No, at the moment we go week by week, just to see what we've got, what we think we've got and then the reality will hit in Australia. Then you actually know what you've got. It's so difficult to predict, because we have no idea how good the other ones are."

And come the final reckoning, the 2016 overall classification – what are the objectives? Surely not 11th…

Here, for the first time during our latest interview – late on Monday in the Barcelona paddock – Steiner hesitates slightly, then answers with a firm "No". Following reflection, "but in the lower midfield". Clearly he has confidence that his team will deliver, but is reluctant to say so publicly. Eighth, seventh?

"Exactly, yes. If we come seventh, it's fantastic…"

Given that FOM revenues for seventh in the 2014 championship – paid in '15 – were worth around ￡40m to Toro Rosso, the potential amount approximates to half Haas F1 Team's annual budget. Accordingly it is crucial that a deal be struck as soon as possible, certainly before the end of the squad's maiden season.

Still, it was not without a sense of admiration that I surveyed the grey-white-and-red trucks and paddock engineering centre and hospitality unit – all with discreet star-spangled flags – while reflecting on my call to Steiner on that wintry December day in 2013. An eon ago in F1 terms, yet felt like yesterday.