Photo credit: MoneyGram Haas F1 Team
Kevin Magnussen has revealed why he has struggled so much compared to Haas team-mate Nico Hulkenberg this year, and what can be done to help drive the current regulation of cars faster.
The Dane has experienced a tough campaign so far, scoring less points than Hulkenberg, and being outclassed for the most part, in Qualifying.
However, Magnussen feels as if he has made some steps forward recently, with the races failing to showcase his progress with the VF-23.
“I think I actually have nothing to show but I have a feeling, if you look at the practice times and stuff, I think in the last two events it’s been better. Maybe even three from Hungary,” he said during his media session in Monza.
Speaking about the reason why drivers have struggled adapting to the new cars, and why the skillset wasn’t transferable from the previous regulation of cars, he said:
“A big part of it is the tyres, they don’t allow you to combine G’s, so you can’t do a lot of rotation and braking at the same time. You kind of have to V the corners more.
“In this years’ car on my side, it’s even more vulnerable like that. In a Red Bull I think I could do it [change driving style] very easily.”
To make changes to how you drive after so many years is incredibly difficult says Magnussen and expanded on why.
“It has to be automatic. It’s like a golf swing at the end of the day. Try and change your angle of your wrist just a couple of degrees at this exact point in the swing [and] it’s gone. It’s very hard to adjust these things, it takes 10,000 hours. It is really something that is in our central nervous system.
“Often it’s best not to try too hard to change those things but actually find ways around it. I’ve changed things in the car, some simple things that have helped a lot, so that my driving style starts to work a bit better.
“My style has been working for many years I feel. I also think I am a driver who can drive many different cars, and it’s always been easy for me to adapt.
“I think this car is unstable in just the worst part of the corner.”
The Italian Grand Prix represents an opportunity for Haas to keep making improvements on their car, at a low downforce track with typically has a short setup window.
If they can keep on top of their tyre temperatures, expect to see them fighting to get at least a car into Q3 on Saturday, before Sunday’s wet weather forecast comes into the picture, with a big opportunity for the lower placed teams to score points.
