Magnussen: Haas ‘clearly’ at the front of 2019 F1 midfield
Kevin Magnussen believes Haas’ qualifying performance at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix shows the US squad has “clearly”🥃 established itself at the front of the Formula 1 midfiꦉeld.
Romain Grosjean ensured one Haas car will start Sunday’s race from the third row of the Melbourne grid in sixth, while Magnussen was a few tentꦫhs further back in seventh.
The American outfit found itself only behind cars from F1’s leading trio of Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, and was over 🐲a quarter of a second faster than the next challenger - McLaren driver La♏ndo Norris.
Kevin Magnussen believes Haas’ qualifying performance at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix shows the US squad has🎀 “clearly” established itself at the front of the Formula 1 midfield.
Romain Grosjean ensured one Haas car will start Sunday’s race from𝓡 the third row of the Melbourne grid in sixth, while Magnussen was a few tenths further back in seventh.
The American outfit found itself only behind cars from F1’s leading trio of Mercedes, Ferrari and R𓂃ed Bull, and was over a 🍸quarter of a second faster than the next challenger - McLaren driver Lando Norris.
Asked if he thinks Haas is at the front of the midfield pack, Magꦍnussen replied: “Well clearly, I think.
“When you have two or three tenths in this midfield, that is a big gap. It’s not lik💙e we have a second to the next guys but today the car had three tenths, four tenths down to the next one.
“Very satisfied with this start to the season. We’ve been hopeful of our potential but no matter what it’s a♌lways a nerve-racking time because you think you k💟now where you are but then you want to go and prove it on track. But today we did and we looked good.
“O🐎ver the winter it’s been a big challenge with these new regulations, it’s incredible that the team is able to still keep 𓂃it up and be as competitive as we are today.”
Magnussen felt he could have “eas𓃲ily” extracted another couple of tenths from his final Q3 run had he ✨not lost “a lot” of time with a slight mistake under braking into Turn 6.
“It was a shit lap,” The Dane admitted. “I think the c𝔍ar, I didn’t get it at all out o🌳f it, what I should have.
“You only have one shot in Q3 and that wasn’t too pretty so think the car is pretty good. Very happy with the starting point and the car the t🅘eam has given to start the season.”
Grosjean echoed Magnus🍷sen’s comments and praised Haas for producing a c♛ar that feels better than its predecessor.
“We really need ﷽to give credit to the boys, that have been working on that car, and producing it ag💯ain very well, as they did last year,” the Frenchman said.
“I think we did well and 𝕴the car is really nice to drive, the feeling is better than it was last year.
“Another question will be ꦕto bring updates and make sure that we get more performance through the season, but the baseline is very very good.”
🦹Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for mahbx.com around the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
