Haas' Steiner gives Magnussen two thumbs up

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Haas boss Guenther Steiner vaunted the merits of Kevin Magnussen after the Dane delivered a "perfect" drive in Sunday's Mexican Grand Prix.

The US outfit was downbeat after its performance in qualifying, with both its drivers unable to bring their VF-17 up to speed.

Magnussen and Romain Grosjean gained a spot on Sunday's grid however thanks to penalties handed to others. But it was the Dane's blazing first lap which set up his afternoon's great performance.

Eventually, Magnussen put himself in the points and remained there as he resisted a charge from behind from both Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

Haas' Magnussen: 'Mexico result was as good as a victory'

Steiner was left impressed by his driver's efforts and stamped a perfect score on his performance.

"Ten out of 10. He couldn't do any more, with our car, to keep Hamilton and Alonso behind. That is the highlight of it, but all race he didn't put a foot wrong.
"We didn't luck into it, we earned it, we were in the right place at the right time obviously. But if the opportunity is given he could go the speed… his times were very respectable so it wasn't like we got lucky. It was a fantastic drive."

Steiner also underlined the importance of pressing on in F1, even when prospects are grim.

"I think we got an opportunity given to us and we took it. He did a fantastic job. You can't do much better than that.

"The car was a little bit better in the race than in qualifying - obviously because we were last in qualifying!"

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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.