Kevin Magnussen claims that the new F1 regulations are making the 2022 season interesting. Speaking in a team preview, the Danish driver felt that the midfield had bunched up after Mercedes’ performance woes, throwing Alfa Romeo in the mix.
Comparing his team's performances in the midfield to its rivals, the Haas driver said:
“I think there’s probably a good chance the competitive order will change around a little bit this year. We’ve seen Mercedes out of shape, sometimes Alfa Romeo have been up there almost with podium pace and other times we have been up there, so the competition is very tight and I think it will make for an interesting season. It’s not fun if you know you can’t be competitive and this time there’s no way to say you can’t be competitive – everyone has a chance. I think it’s way more interesting and a lot more fun. I’m certainly enjoying my time.”
The Dane believes every player in the midfield of the F1 grid has a chance for podiums due to the tough competition. Speaking of immediate rivals Mercedes and Alfa Romeo, Magnussen highlighted the importance of competitive packages affecting their performance.
Kevin Magnussen believes Haas car will be good at Barcelona
Kevin Magnussen feels the Haas car will be competitive on the Barcelona circuit. Despite not testing at the venue in the pre-season test, the 29-year-old feels he is best acquainted with the track. The Dane joined Haas in the Bahrain preseason test as he replaced Nikita Mazepin, who had driven their current car in the Barcelona pre-season test.
Outlining his expectations from the Spanish GP ahead, Magnussen said:
“Barcelona is probably the Formula 1 track I know the best out of all of them. I don’t think it’s going to be such a big disadvantage not having driven there in testing. The car is performing well, it’s been very good at four of the five tracks we’ve been at, so I think it’s going to do well there too. Our car is pretty good all-round – it’s been good in wet conditions, dry conditions and intermediate. It’s like always, you need to get the car into the window, and I think we’ve done a decent job of that this year.”
Upon his return to F1 after two years, Kevin Magnussen has continued to impress many. The Haas driver is currently tenth in the drivers’ standings while his team is eighth in the constructors’ championship. Although his Miami race did not pan out as planned, he is positive about bouncing back in Barcelona.