K-Mag tempering his expectations after 2014 decline

Kevin Magnussen says past experiences in his F1 career mean he is staying realistic after his sensational comeback in Bahrain.

A month ago the Dane still thought his Formula 1 career was in the past, but suddenly it is like the clock has been turned back at least three years with Magnussen re-integrated at a Haas team that have become competitive again.

After a dismal 2021 campaign in which they failed to score a point, Haas’ decision to put all their development focus on this year’s brand new car has already paid a big dividend with a magnificent fifth place for Magnussen in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Just thinking of Sunday's comeback 😊#HaasF1 #SaudiArabianGP pic.twitter.com/UGyPZBS3l5

— Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) March 24, 2022

But although the team’s future looks brighter with Magnussen recalled to replace ousted Nikita Mazepin, the 29-year-old knows from what happened previously that one swallow does not make a summer in Formula 1.

The perfect example of that happened to Magnussen – he ended up classified second on his series debut in the 2014 Australian Grand Prix. Eight years and 119 races later, he is still waiting for a second appearance on the podium.

“There’s always the danger you have such a great first race and you expect to be there every time,” Magnussen told reporters on practice day for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

“I’ve been in that situation before – my first race in F1 I got on the podium, then after that I was disappointed with everything that wasn’t a win because I’d finished second, so the next [target] was a win!

“Everything that wasn’t a win, which is all of the races so far, was a disappointment!

“So I had to really change my mindset and I won’t make that mistake again. I’ll take it race by race, build up this championship and just get the best every time.”

Magnussen’s team-mate, Mick Schumacher, said he thought a podium could be possible this season if a “crazy weekend” occurs, but the Dane is more concerned with staying at the top of the midfield as he was in Bahrain and seeing what that might lead to.

“If you are always just behind the top teams, which I guess is the best you can hope for unless you are in a Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull, then you are the first one to get that podium if stuff happens,” said Magnussen.

“I don’t see us driving onto the podium on pace any time soon but I could kind of expect us to be in the position we were in Bahrain, leading the midfield. You’d hope we can do that more often and keeping that level has to be the target.

“If you are there, you are the first one to receive that podium if you have that lucky day when a lot of people have problems, which has happened before, or there’s a red flag at the right time on a track that’s hard to overtake on or something like that.

“That’s something I’m dreaming about. I’m not expecting it – as I said, I don’t think we have the pace to be driving onto the podium – but I am dreaming about a podium.”

Magnussen shines for resurgent Haas

Kevin Magnussen had a great first weekend back in Formula 1 with Haas.