On his 100th Grand Prix weekend for Haas, Kevin Magnussen sensationally claimed his first pole position in Formula 1, on his 140th overall appearance.
The Dane drove immensely during qualifying at the Brazilian Grand Prix, with the Haas driver having mastered the complicated conditions, which flickered between wet and dry throughout the session.
The Americans might be secretly thanking their woeful car from 2021, as the team having the last pit-box in the pit-lane worked massively in their favour during Q3.
Following a wet Q1 which became dry towards the end of the session, the rain returned right as the green light was released at the end of pit-lane to commence Q3, with Magnussen having managed to get himself to the front of the queue.
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It was therefore the Danish driver who was first onto the track, with it quickly becoming apparent that their first lap time will arguably determine where they start Saturday’s Sprint race.
All of the ten drivers, apart from Charles Leclerc, were on the red-walled Soft tyres, with insufficient time for a warm-up lap before pushing.
Everyone had to get on with it due to the incoming rain, which ultimately played right into Haas’ hands.
After everyone set their opening lap-time in Q3, Magnussen astonishingly sat top by two-tenths of a second from double World Champion Max Verstappen, right as a red flag was flown after George Russell beached his Mercedes between Turns 4/5.
As the remaining nine drivers made their way back to the pits, the rain quickly intensified to the point where only Intermediate tyres were usable on the circuit, resulting in brilliant celebrations in the Haas garage.
Comically, Magnussen had to walk from the end of the pit-lane to the start of it to get to parc ferme, where he was quick to thank team principal Guenther Steiner and Haas owner Gene Haas.
“I don’t know what to say,” Magnussen started saying during his parc ferme interview.
“The team put me out on track at exactly the right moment. I mean we were first out in the pit lane, did a pretty decent lap. On pole, that is incredible.
“Thank you to Gene Haas, and Guenther [Steiner] and the whole team for this opportunity. I got back this year after a year out and it’s just been an amazing journey. So, thank you”
Unsurprisingly, social media has taken to Magnussen’s shock pole brilliantly; however, many have slammed Mick Schumacher at the same time, due to the German driver qualifying last.
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“I think Magnussen just sent Schumacher straight to DTM,” wrote a Twitter user.
“P1 and P20, it’s a Haas sandwich!,” joked a user.
Another said: “That’s my guy, that’s my guy.”