Kevin Magnussen believes he is not holding back McLaren

First race of the season in the premier category and first podium for the young Dane in Melbourne, Magnussen surprised everyone by securing the very first podium of his young career. Since then, Jenson Button’s teammate has not managed to do better than a ninth place in Malaysia and Canada.

McLaren is currently in rebuilding, and the former Formula Renault 3.5 driver in the World Series by Renault is aware of it. However, Jenson Button, the most experienced driver on the grid, believes that having two experienced drivers is much better than having one experienced driver and a rookie for a team.

Magnussen does not share the same opinion, as he told Autosport. He reflected on his technical knowledge and his role in the team compared to his English teammate: « We are different and we perceive different sensations from the car. It’s a good thing because we can bring different ideas. I don’t think I’m holding the team back in the car’s development; I feel like I’m contributing to the team’s rebuilding. I say what I feel, and what I feel is good. »

For his first season, Jan’s son, who incidentally distinguished himself by finishing in 2nd place in the LMGTE Pro category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend, reflects on his behavior within the team: « I’m making sure not to stay in the background and not be shy, I try to communicate. Since I’m new, I have to force myself to do it, whether it’s good or not, the team will be the judge. »

The team is satisfied with the rookie’s behavior, which reinforces the fact that he is heading in the right direction to last in F1: « The best way to learn is to be open and say what you think. The engineers understand that I have very little experience, so they tell me what they think, whether positive or negative. They listen a lot to what I say and I am very proud of that, they use my feedback even though I am inexperienced, so it gives me confidence. »