Kevin Magnussen might well be a rookie this season, but he believes he might have a slight upper hand when it comes to the Red Bull Ring.
With the circuit having changed slightly since it was last used in 2003 and only a few of the current drivers having ever driven it in a Formula 1 car, Magnussen has the advantage of having driven the new layout last year.
“It’s strange to be able to say it, but, of all the drivers on the F1 grid, I’ve probably got the most recent experience of racing at the Red Bull Ring, because two rounds of the World Series by Renault were held there last summer.”
The Danish driver is looking forward to returning to what he describes as a “physical” circuit which requires “constant concentration” despite it featuring just nine turns.
“It’s a very cool place – it’s a circuit where you never really get to rest in the cockpit because the track is always going somewhere; there’s only really one ‘straight’ straight, along the start/finish line, but it’s book-ended by fast corners so the opportunity you get to relax is pretty minimal.
“But that’s what makes it so enjoyable – every lap is a real adrenaline rush because the corners never stop coming. You need to really be on top of the car around here, you want it to be doing exactly what you ask of it, simply because the lap is so physical, the driver is actually doing a lot of work, so he needs his car to take as much of that burden as possible.
“I think this’ll be a great new addition to the calendar – the circuit is a hardcore racetrack, the fans are passionate and the venue is spectacular.”
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