Kevin Magnussen has insisted that the Haas F1 Team aren’t disregarding Mick Schumacher’s feedback because he is less experienced than the Dane.
Magnussen re-signed with Haas ahead of the 2022 season to partner Schumacher after the sacking of Nikita Mazepin amid Russia’s war on Ukraine, and he has bumped his tally up to 37 points finishes in the sport by finishing fifth and ninth in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, respectively.
Their form so far this year has been in stark contrast to Haas’ woeful 2021 campaign, but a combination of misfortune and mistakes has meant that the German is still scoreless after the opening three rounds of the year.
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But it might be impertinent to suggest that this run will persist for much longer, as Magnussen notes that the 23-year-old is perennially asking for advice and enlightenment as to how to improve.
“It doesn’t happen that often between drivers because you might be too proud to ask questions or you might see it as a weakness. But he doesn’t care at all, he just wants to learn,” said the Dane.
The 29-year-old divulged that he is always happy to deliver advice to Schumacher, and affirms that he is more comfortable now than he was during his first spell with the Banbury-based team having already experienced leaving the pinnacle of motorsport.
“If I can help him, it helps the team and that’s good for me again. I am much more relaxed there this time,” he added.
As for the fact that, generally, Magnussen has out-performed Schumacher this year – he has out-qualified him and out-raced him twice – the former McLaren and Renault driver maintains that the pair are fairly even on pace.
“It’s not as big of a difference as you might think,” he explained.
“Mick is very good, even though he only has a year of experience. So it’s not like everyone just listens to me and nobody listens to Mick, because it’s very balanced.”
Schumacher has made no secret of the fact that he would one day like to drive for Ferrari, but he may need to find some different, more enriching challenges than the one he has at Haas.
That’s according to AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost who, having revealed that even reigning champion Max Verstappen needed time to learn the ropes at Red Bull, suggests that Schumacher needs some experience elsewhere if he is to prepare himself for possible championship contention one day with the Scuderia.
“He has to drive somewhere else for another three years,” he told Sport1.
“Formula 1 is extremely complicated today. A driver needs at least three years of learning to drive at the top level.”
He gave George Russell and Charles Leclerc as examples of drivers needing time to develop and mature in Formula 1.
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“A George Russell or a Charles Leclerc also needed that time,” he affirmed.
First though, the 23-year-old must prove himself against an established driver and a realistic benchmark, something he did not really have in his first season alongside Mazepin.
He certainly does have that in Magnussen, and Tost agrees with team principal Guenther Steiner’s comment that it “means something” if Schumacher can consistently out-perform a tremendous racer like the 2014 Australian Grand Prix podium finisher.
“First he has to consistently beat Kevin Magnussen at Haas and try to achieve success with them. That is his job now and nothing else,” Tost affirmed.
Haas’ marked improvements have attracted queries as to the legality of their car, and three teams are said to have referred their likeness with the Ferrari to the FIA.