Steiner praises Magnussen: 'Mentally a lot stronger'

A year ago, Kevin Magnussen assumed he had driven his last few miles in a Formula 1 car. Twelve months later, the Dane has had what is probably his best season in the premier class of motorsport. Team boss Guenther Steiner knows why.

In 2021, with the duo of Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin, Haas scored as many as zero World Championship points. Of course, in 2022, the US team's car was a lot better. Magnussen - recruited at the very last minute as a replacement for Mazepin, who was sent away because of the war in Ukraine - actually exploited the car's potential. Six times the Dane managed to finish in the points. Most memorable was the unexpected pole in wet Brazil.

Brain

Magnussen looks like a completely different driver to the one in his first stint at Haas, in Steiner's experience, speaking to Motorsport.com, he was more mature and in a better place. "It's age, being a dad, being called back instead of begging to get a seat is a different story as well," the team boss said. 

"It plays with your mind as well. It gives a lot of confidence. This is a lot about how you are mentally strong. I think at the moment, he's just mentally a lot stronger than he was years ago."

Magnussen will also drive for Haas in 2023. Whereas two years ago the team chose two rookies, the team now enters the season with two very experienced men. Next to Magnussen, Nico Hulkenberg is in the second car.