Kevin Magnussen on the difficult 2019 season. And on the next Formula 1 contract.
Kevin Magnussen and Haas team started 2019 with big ambitions. After the strong the 2018 season, where they finished in fifth place in the constructor-the WORLD cup, the goal was now a total fourth place and thus the victory in the ‘best of the rest’-the class behind the three top team.
But since the 2019 season ended in Abu Dhabi in the beginning of december, lay Haas at the ninth – and næstsidstepladsen in the WORLD cup.
“It has been a tough season,” admits Magnussen over for B. T.
“It was Haas’ fourth season in Formula 1, and the first three were really good. So, even though it’s gone awry in the year, is what Haas has done in Formula 1, yet very impressive. In the year it went backwards, but I’m sure we can come up at a higher level again next year. We know what went wrong, and it will be fixed in 2020.”
Haas, with approximately 230 employees are still the smallest team in Formula 1. It will the background not be fair to call næstsidstepladsen for the team’s natural position in the field?
“No, it’s not fair,” says Magnussen particular.
“We have underpræsteret whole game in years. One can never be sure, but I am convinced that we will come back strong in 2020.”
In the other Formula 1 teams in a single season has dropped from a fifth – to ninth place, there would be extensive changes. You’d drop a running, guys a boss, switch engine supplier – just do something to correct the development.
this is not at Haas. Here one runs unchanged in 2020. Magnussen has been long enough in racing to know how the other team reacts to a crisis, but he said:
“Maybe it’s a good thing to continue with the same people? It shows that there is no trust and no unity in this team. To believe in the people here, because they several times in the past have shown that they can do a really good job. It is just to get them up on their highest level again.”
Although in the course of the year became obvious that the Haas team VF19-model only rarely functioned optimally managed Magnussen to keep the motivation.
in Fact, he thinks that he is in the frustrating 2019 season ran better than ever.
“It was not at all as fun to take to a race, when you knew that the car will hardly be competitive. But there was still a piece of work that should be carried out as well as possible. You must not give up!”
One of the big stories in Formula 1-WORLD championships 2019 traded for Kevin Magnussen and teamkammeraten Romain Grosjean. Three months in the early summer came the two Haas riders together three times. That was from both sides handed in some juicy ‘truths’ of pitradioen, but it happened in a moment of excitement.
“It has been a lot of talk about Romains and my relationship – even Günther (Steiner, Haas-team manager) think we are adversaries,” says Magnussen.
“But our relationship is actually quite excellent. After the clash at Silverstone we called each other and cleaned the air. We are teamkammerater in Formula 1, and we need not be each other’s best friends. Man we have it really good together.”
In 2021, there will be a brand new regulations in Formula 1, and almost all drivers have made sure to have his contract before the new rules are introduced. Magnussen is one of them – and yet not:
“My contract expires in fact non – Haas has an option on me for 2021. Of course, they can drop me, but I am thinking not so much,” he says.
“It’s about not to put undue pressure on themselves. It is about continuing the positive, personal development, I have been going with in recent years. To keep the level – to continue to deliver results. It is the only thing I can do. One must clear his head and make sure to make it as good as possible.”
