Steiner says Magnussen is now 'mentally stronger'

Haas F1 Team principal says that the last6 two years have made Kevin Magnissen a much stronger person and a more rounded driver.

The Dane returned to the team's line-up just weeks before the first race of the 2022 season, replacing Nikita Mazepin at short notice after Haas were forced to drop the Muscovite in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Magnussen had previously driven for Haas for four seasons from 2017 until 2020 alongside Romain Grosjean, until the squad decided on a new all-rookie line-up consisting of Mazepin and Mick Schumacher.

• Read also: Steiner confident that Hulkenberg will be 'straight on it'

Despite the short notice, Magnussen scored points in three of the first four races of last season, and later took a shock pole in qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix in the penultimate race of the year.

"I think at the moment, he's just mentally a lot stronger than he was years ago," Steiner suggested when asked what it was about Magnussen today that made him a better prospect than when he was let go at the end of 2020.

"It's age. Being a dad, being called back instead of begging to get a seat is a different story as well," he told Motorsport.com. "It plays with your mind as well. It gives a lot of confidence.

"This is a lot about how you are mentally strong," he added.

Magnussen himself has also highlighted how the stability of being on a multi-year contract with Haas has helped him find renewed confidence behind the wheel.

That security wasn't on offer to Schumacher, who after two seasons at Haas now finds himself without a full-time seat for the coming new campaign. He'll be reserve driver for Mercedes instead.

The second seat at Haas has instead gone to Nico Hulkenberg, another experienced driver like Magnussen who had thought his time in F1 had come to an end after he was let go by Renault at the end of 2019.

But a series of 'super sub' performances for Racing Point/Aston Martin has kept his name in the frame, and meant that Steiner was keen to bring him back to the paddock full time in 2023.

Asked if he felt that Magnussen and Hulkenberg's enforced time in the wilderness would make them stronger today, Steiner replied "I think so," adding: "That is our hope. That's why we did the decision."

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