“A tough chunk”
What the Magnussen deal means for Schumacher
03/10/2022, 5:08 p.m
Kevin Magnussen is back in Formula 1. The Dane will be Mick Schumacher’s teammate – and thus also his challenger. In the past season, the German was the dominator of the Haas team, that could change now. Expert Felix Görner classifies the team duel.
Kevin Magnussen was surprised when the call came from Formula 1 team Haas. There are good arguments as to why the Dane is becoming Mick Schumacher’s new teammate. Magnussen hadn’t competed in the premier class of motorsport for two years, and now he’s returning. The 29-year-old succeeds the Russian Nikita Mazepin after Haas separated from him and the main sponsor Uralkali with father Dimitri Mazepin as the majority owner due to the connections to the Russian ruler Vladimir Putin.
“I was surprised when the call came. But I was also very happy. I wanted to realign my career, but I always said – I don’t rule out a return to Formula 1,” said Magnussen about the new Haas Deal. His return to the team, for which he drove from 2017 to 2020, also has an impact on Schumacher.
So far the German has been the better man in the team, regularly driving away from Mazepin even if it wasn’t enough for points in his rookie season. But the Dane has the experience of 119 Grand Prix and seven years of Formula 1, he will be able to heat up the internal team duel with Schumacher, who is seven years his junior. Unlike Mazepin, Magnussen will seriously challenge the German on the track. He will also be able to give him important tips. The deal could also make Schumacher stronger.
According to Magnussen, he was not explicitly asked to “play a mentoring role. It is important to understand that you can benefit from each other, but at the same time you are fighting for the same points.” According to team boss Günther Steiner, Schumacher can learn a lot from Magnussen, who received a contract for several years. “That will help him in his development,” said the Haas boss.
“Cheeky, fearless, tough”
“Magnussen is the type of crispbread, a nutcracker in duels,” says ntv expert Felix Görner, describing the Dane’s racing style. He was “blunt, cheeky, fearless, tough, in a duel and also in a team duel”. Magnussen already fought tough duels with his last F1 colleague Romain Grosjean at Renault, after which both were eliminated. “That shows his uncompromising nature,” said Görner, drawing a comparison with Jarno Trulli, who had the reputation of being very difficult to overtake. “Magnussen is something like the trulli of our time.”
Görner is certain: “Magnussen is a tough one for Mick Schumacher.” The Dane will not back down. “Maybe he’s even spurred on by the big name Schumacher to show the boy what a seasoned Formula 1 driver is.” Both have one thing in common: they have well-known fathers. “He grew up with racing blood. I know what that means,” said Magnussen during the tests in Bahrain. Schumacher is the son of Formula 1 record world champion Michael Schumacher, Magnussen’s father Jan used to be active in the premier class of motorsport. Magnussen said he had a “really good” impression of Schumacher. “He has won in every category so far.”
Görner sees Magnussen’s strength in his great experience and maturity. “He’s someone who can get used to new cars and regulations very quickly.” This is also important for the Haas team. With the completely renewed car, the racing team is dependent on feedback from the drivers. Especially Haas’, who had technical problems during the first tests and missed the start of the second test due to cargo problems.
Magnussen could provide a boost for Haas, he got his best overall result in Formula 1 for the team in 2018. Two fifth places and eleven places in the top ten gave him ninth place in the end. A real success for the small team. So maybe Magnussen shouldn’t wonder why Haas called him after all.