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Formula 1 Monaco GP
Monaco will test Haas car's weaker areas - Magnussen
Kevin Magnussen believes Monaco will test an area of Haas’s 2018 Formula 1 car that is less refined than the elements behind his team’s strong early form.
Scott Mitchell
Edited: May 24, 2018, 10:41 AM
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Magnussen and Haas have been a surprise star in F1’s ultra-tight midfield battle this season, their pace warranting better than their current positions of ninth and sixth in the drivers’ and constructors’ championship respectively.
The American team was comfortably best-of-the-rest behind Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull at the last race in Spain, but the low-speed Monaco circuit is a completely different challenge to Barcelona.
Magnussen believes Haas’s strength has been in its aerodynamic performance, while its mechanical competence – which Monaco places greater emphasis on than usual – is less refined.
“We should be in that mix but I don’t think it’s going to be as dominant as in Barcelona,” said Magnussen.
“Our car is particularly strong in high-speed and medium-speed corners.
“It’s not bad in low-speed but our car is more efficient this year, it’s quicker down the straights and we have good downforce at high speed.”
Asked by Motorsport.com if that meant Monaco was an opportunity to discover low-speed solutions, Magnussen said: “You can say that.
“We've done some work to try and get the most out of the car mechanically, because our aero is good and being developed in a nice way.
“The mechanical part is an area that we don't really know if we are at the best window or not, because the car is working well, so it's hard to say whether we can get more out of it.
“We're trying to learn and validate some of our numbers and simulations, to try and confirm whether what we think is right is right.”
Magnussen finished a lapped sixth in Spain, more than half a minute ahead of Renault’s Carlos Sainz Jr and almost 40s clear of McLaren’s Fernando Alonso.
He said it was a surprise to be that far ahead but called it a ”really, really cool” race that reminded him of his days winning in Formula 3 and Formula Renault 3.5.
“I haven’t had that kind of race in Formula 1 ever,” said Magnussen. “It’s the first time I’ve just been on my own. I 100% felt like I was leading the race, I couldn’t see anyone in front.
“It’s like the good old days in F3 and World Series when you were just leading the race, pulling away, couldn’t see anyone in front or in the mirrors.
“We can see our car is consistent. It hasn’t just been a one-off.
“I don’t feel like we’ve dominated the midfield but we’ve been able to fight with the front at nearly every race.”
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