Magnussen considers Grosjean faster than Button 'on his day'

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Kevin Magnussen believes Haas team mate Romain Grosjean represents a good benchmark for the Dane to measure his relative performance.

Magnussen leads the Frenchman by just a single point in the championship standings, having achieved his best result in Azerbaijan with a seventh-place finish.

The pair are equally matched in qualifying although the Dane has yet to reach Q3, which his team mate has managed three times this season.

Still, Magnussen holds Grosjean in high regard, and reckons that on his day he is as fast as Jenson Button with whom the Dane was paired at McLaren in 2014.

"He's got everything I need from a teammate," Magnussen said of Grosjean.

"Raw speed, so I can compare and learn from him, and he's got experience as well.

"So for me he is a very good teammate - perhaps on his day faster than Jenson, but Jenson was very consistent."

We have to sort out our problems, says Haas' Grosjean

Magnussen admitted that his current context at Haas provides a better environment for improvement than McLaren or Renault.

"You only have your teammate to compare and to show yourself and prove yourself [against]," he added.

"It's much better having a proven teammate who has a good reputation and is known to be very quick, so it's good to have him [Grosjean]."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.