Haas boss defends 'bad boy' Magnussen... again.

Haas boss Guenther Steiner defended once again Kevin Magnussen after the Dane was labeled an 'idiot' on Sunday by none other than Fernando Alonso.

A brief wheel-to-wheel battle between the two drivers in the Malaysia GP riled the Spaniard who radioed in to his team to complain about Magnussen.

"What an idiot, Hulkenberg is right!" said the McLaren driver.

"More or less the drivers agree. It's 19-1 (against Magnussen)," Alonso later added, also referring to the Dane's discourteous run-in with an accusive Hulkenberg in the media pen in Hungary when he told the German to "suck my balls".

Steiner and Magnussen unhappy with 'inconsistent' stewards

"Alonso is a very charismatic and skilled driver," Haas' Steiner told Ekstra Bladet newspaper.

"And if someone confronts him, then that's how he reacts.

"I think both of them pushed it to the limit, which is what people want to see," Steiner added.

The Haas team boss insisted that his driver is right to be pushing hard on the track, tipping him to eventually emerge from his reputation as the 'bad boy' of F1.

"You have to go through tough periods and earn respect," said Steiner.

"If you always move out of the way, people think they can walk over you. So you have your battles as long as you don't overdo them or become a bully.

"So even if he gets a little of a bad reputation now, it can turn around later," he added.

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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.