Kevin Magnussen left Mexico City with a well-deserved sense of accomplishment and so did his Haas team after scoring a double top ten finish at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
The Dane concluded his day in seventh position, his best result of the season while teammate Nico Hulkenberg’s run to P9 completed the US outfit’s productive weekend.
The result – which marked Haas’ fifth points scoring event in a row – helped the team extend their lead over RB to ten points in the battle for sixth in F1’s Constructors’ Championship.
While delighted with his own performance, Magnussen hailed his outfit’s impeccable work and execution.
“It was a perfect day really, we got everything right,” he said.
“The balance in the car was just in that sweet spot and I was able to just really manage the tyres and push hard – manage the tyres when I needed to and push them when I needed to as well.”
Magnussen acknowledged the challenge of holding off a charging Oscar Piastri in the closing stages of the race.
“P7 was better than we could have hoped for because we had Piastri cruising through the field and it didn’t happen, so I was able to just about manage to keep him behind,” he added.
“The last year or so has been tough. I feel like I’m finding my rhythm again here and it’s nice. Hopefully we can finish off this year and just really nail some points finishes in these last four races.”
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Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu was particularly complimentary of Magnussen’s efforts in Mexico City and especially impressed with the Dane’s pace during his second stint on the hard tyre.
“He drove very well in Austin, but we couldn’t quite deliver on Sunday, but this weekend he had an amazing qualifying,” said Komatsu. “Today everyone delivered.
“His pace in the second stint was unbelievable, he was catching Verstappen in his Red Bull and was finishing just four seconds behind. That was probably the best I’ve seen Kevin drive, I’m so happy for him.”
Hulkenberg, also had a solid race, emphasizing the importance of Haas’ recent improvements.
“I’m very happy for Kevin, he drove a brilliant weekend and was so quick in the race, so really deserved for him,” said the German.
“Very positive, we’ve been competitive and a great weekend for us.”
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Since introducing upgrades at the United States Grand Prix, Haas has demonstrated a noticeable uptick in performance. Hulkenberg believes this consistency is a testament to the team’s hard work.
“It feels very good and very rewarding. I think everyone’s work is paying off and we’re a consistent contender for points which is obviously great news – I think four time points in a row now for me, including the Sprint in Austin,” he added.
“That shows the consistency that we have within the package and car. It makes me look forward to next week and the three after as well.”
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