Magnussen explains Turn 10 crash

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Haas' Kevin Magnussen damaged his VF-17's front wing this morning when he locked up the rear under braking and hit the wall at Turn 10.

Despite the mishap, the Dane says it will not impact the team's Monday test program.

"I completely locked the rears,” he said.

“The same as pulling a handbrake in a road car! So I lost the rear and spun and brushed the wall so we had some damage in the front wing.

"No drama at all, just stuff like brake balance and brake maps is what we’re here to sort out. We learned something this morning"

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With damage limited to a front wing, Haas will simply resume its testing at the normal.

"We got some laps, not as many as we planned but that’s kind of expected. You have a plan in case everything goes right but you always expect a few issues with sensors and stuff like that to be fixed in the morning.

"Hopefully in the afternoon we can carry on and get some more laps from the car and start working."

Magnussen's initial assessment of Haas' new car is positive, with enhanced grip clearly felt by the driver.

"Especially in the high speed corners is where I feel the biggest difference. I still need to push the car a bit more to get a proper feeling.

"It will be interesting to see with soft tyres later on in testing, to really feel the maximum the car can do.

"For now it’s just about getting more kilometres on the car, see if everything is working, make all the checks, stuff like that. Today is about a little bit of problem testing."

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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.