Kevin Magnussen was called to return to Haas at the last minute after the team decided to cut its ties with Nikita Mazepin. However, his sudden comeback to Formula 1 also meant that he could not prepare himself physically enough.
Magnussen has a long way to go
As a result, the Danish driver suspects that his neck will continue to take a beating in the coming period and that he may not be fully up to strength until next year. "“I think it will take this whole year and maybe a winter," he predicts according to Racer.com.
Between the many races, especially during double- or triple-headers, Magnussen says there are not enough opportunities to train 'flat-out'. Improving his fitness therefore seems an impossible task, yet he is already noticing progress. "The neck is a key point and that’s getting stronger all the time," Magnussen says.
Physically, he may still have a long way to go, but that is not reflected in his results. Since his return to Haas, he has shown some strong results, which have earned him a provisional tenth place in the standings despite his recent breakdowns.