Kevin Magnussen has explained that Nico Hulkenberg’s qualifying superiority in 2023 has primarily derived from the latter managing Haas’ issues more consistently.
Haas’ campaign has continuously been stymied by excessive tyre degradation trouble squandering a plethora of promising starting positions at several rounds.
Consequently, the American outfit resides in eighth place in the Constructors’ Championship with only 11 points to date, 10 behind Williams one position above.
Nevertheless, Haas announced last month that its current driver line-up would be retained for next year as the team seeks continuity to arrest its recent plight.
Magnussen has showered praise on his team-mate, underlining that his experience will continue to prove vital to Haas’ chances of hauling itself up the pecking order.
“It’s good to have someone with that much experience when you’re trying to develop a car,” he said via RacingNews365.
“When you have an issue and you need a new direction, it’s good to have all this experience in the team.”
While Magnussen comfortably dispatched team-mate Mick Schumacher last year, the ex-Renault racer has been edged in every performance metric by Hulkenberg.
Alongside outscoring Magnussen by eight points to three, Hulkenberg has regularly classified ahead of the Dane in both qualifying and race trim this season.
Magnussen, who has only one Q3 appearance to his name this year compared to his partner’s seven, admits that Hulkenberg has been able to “drive around” Haas’ problems more frequently to unlock the car’s inherent one-lap potential.
“In terms of the pace, it’s not like I have this problem like: ‘I just can’t drive this car’,” he explained.
“On Sunday, it’s always fine. It’s just [during that] one lap [in qualifying], sometimes I struggle to get it out [of the car].
“I have had good qualifyings this year. I qualified P4 in Miami so it’s not like I can’t do it ever.
“But he seems to be able to drive around the issue a little more often, but I think I’m turning it around.”
After Valtteri Bottas earned a solitary point for Alfa Romeo at the Italian Grand Prix, Haas is now the team that has gone the most rounds without scoring a point.
The Kannapolis-based camp entered the summer shutdown only one point shy of Williams, but the British side’s impressive form since the break has seen it accelerate ahead of its immediate rivals.
But despite a troubling spell for the team, Magnussen has declared he’s optimistic Haas is well-placed to become a contender at the front of the midfield in 2024.
The Ferrari-powered customer will reportedly debut a revised car at the United States Grand Prix in October, drawing inspiration from the all-conquering Red Bull RB19.
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