Jan.20 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen says he is already enjoying life at his new F1 home.
After an abortive career so far, falling out with both McLaren and Renault after single seasons with the respective teams, the Dane has switched to the American outfit Haas for 2017 and beyond.
“It’s a good team,” Magnussen told the Danish newspaper BT, during a visit this week to the Ferrari-linked outfit’s UK base.
“It is much easier to navigate than the other teams I’ve worked with,” he explained. “And it’s not just that Haas is smaller, with fewer people.
“It’s also because it is clear who is doing what. Who is responsible. It suits me well,” the 24-year-old added.
Some have suggested Haas is actually another downwards step in Magnussen’s career, having debuted for McLaren and then also falling out with Renault last year.
“This building in Banbury is not very big compared to McLaren’s headquarters in Woking,” Magnussen admitted. “But you have to remember that Banbury is only one of several sites for Haas F1.
“Next week I’m going to the US to visit the Haas department that is there. Before Christmas I was in Italy and visited both Dallara and the department that Haas has at Ferrari in Maranello,” he revealed.
“On Friday I will drive the Haas car for the first time in Ferrari’s simulator,” Magnussen said.
He said he is happy about Haas’ strong links with Ferrari.
“I believe that Ferrari had the second best engine last year,” said Magnussen. “Behind Mercedes, but ahead of Renault and Honda. And I think that will be the case again this year.”
But he played down claims that Haas will have a tough second season in F1, as is so often the case for new teams.
“I have heard that theory, but I think Haas can build on the good season it had in 2016,” said Magnussen. “In that respect I think the atypically small organisation and the close collaboration with Ferrari will be an advantage.”
As for his new teammate Romain Grosjean, Magnussen said: “I’ve had some good fights with him in the past, and what I do know is that we are completely equal (at Haas).”
BT said Haas has scheduled a private ‘filming day’ for its 2017 car two days before official testing begins in Barcelona late next month.