Magnussen puts his strong start into perspective
Author of the best time for his first day as a Formula 1 driver, Kevin Magnussen did not fail to make an impression, but he primarily wants to highlight the work done on the car.
Best time on the third day of private testing in Jerez, Kevin Magnussen was able to see how quickly things can move in Formula 1 as his evening press conference was packed, with journalists eager to interview the young Dane who was found convincing on his first day in the big league.
Despite the change to his initial schedule – he was supposed to drive all day, but had to make way for Jenson Button in the morning – Jan’s son did not miss his debut: he completed a total of 52 laps and set the best time of the day and, so far, of these private tests with 1:23.276, nearly half a second ahead of Felipe Massa’s Williams.
Kevin Magnussen admitted to being a little stressed about his big debut as a Formula 1 driver: « I had butterflies in my stomach, I had trouble sleeping… I’m excited, I’m a rookie. I’m sure everyone was. These are new cars, a new season. This is a huge opportunity for me. This day was a big moment because it was my first test as a driver. »
The McLaren driver primarily wants to put into perspective what some consider a very good start: « As we all know, these are the winter tests and no one really knows what other cars or teams are doing, so I don’t pay much attention to it, » he told our colleagues at Sky Sports.
The important thing for the Dane was to collect data without looking at lap times: « These weren’t maximum speed laps, but we were pushing. We’re trying to get good data, and I’m trying to learn the car. Everyone’s pushing, but you have so many different factors that can play a role in the time you achieve, so I’m not focusing on that. »
« It was good. Very happy with the reliability so far and happy to have done so many laps in half a day. So, it’s quite positive, » continues the reigning Formula Renault 3.5 champion. « I didn’t really have any expectations. I hoped to do a lot of laps and I hoped to learn from today. So, we had a positive day in that respect. We did some good laps and I learned a lot, so I’m happy. »
The potential for improvement remains significant, according to him: « I’m sure we will improve. We know where we want to progress and I am sure we will learn more things tomorrow. […] The most important thing is to have a good understanding of how to progress after these tests. »
