Kevin Magnussen defends the Las Vegas Grand Prix against numerous criticisms

The Las Vegas Grand Prix did not please everyone. From the team presentation ceremony, triple world champion Max Verstappen criticized the event many times. “99% show and 1% race,” the Dutchman scolded. And the race weekend got off to a very bad start. The first free practice session only lasted about ten minutes, due to a manhole cover lifting and hitting the underside of Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari.

Following this problem, the second free practice session was delayed by two and a half hours in order to ensure the safety of the track. These FP2 lasted an hour and a half, but without spectators, as they had been evacuated from the Las Vegas stands due to a lack of security personnel when the practice resumed.

Despite these hiccups, the Las Vegas Grand Prix can boast of being the race with the most overtakes in dry conditions this season. There were a total of 82 overtakes, not including those on the first lap and those resulting from various strategies with tire changes, including Charles Leclerc’s overtake on Sergio Perez on the 50th and final lap of the race, allowing the Monegasque driver to secure the second place on the podium. This number of overtakes is a record in F1 since the 128 overtakes in the 2016 Chinese Grand Prix.

« It’s normal to have an opinion. But maybe you should keep them to yourself. »

However, the circuit still has its admirers, among them Kevin Magnussen. The Haas driver called the crowd » fantastic « and added « that he was looking forward to coming back here next year », after the race. « It’s normal to have an opinion. But maybe you should keep them to yourself. Ultimately, we all have a pretty good salary, we live a good life, and it’s thanks to all of this », continued the Danish driver.

Magnussen also commented on his team’s disappointing result in the city of Nevada. Haas failed to score any points. I think tire wear and pace were good this time. But since we didn’t score any points, something else must be happening. We need to analyze it and see what we can do better. There was a significant improvement in the track during the race. But it’s not a big deal, and it’s part of the challenge, explained Kevin Magnussen.

Under contract with the team until 2024, the Haas driver is now waiting for the end of the last Grand Prix of the season in Abu Dhabi, in order to enjoy the winter break. “I can’t wait to be there, the year has been long and a big part of it has been very frustrating. We continue to fight. It’s good to close the chapter now and turn towards the next season,” concluded the Danish driver.