Magnussen hoping upgrades bring positive results in Spain

HaasF1 driver Kevin Magnussen has settled in nicely with the American based team and has found himself in a car that is highly competitive midfield team. While they still may be having an issue with the brakes on their F1 contenders, Kevin is happy enough with the way the team is progressing.

Now as we head into round five in Spain, Magnussen has fond memories of the Catalunya track where he won the 2013 Formula Renault 3.5 Series championship in convincing fashion, earning five wins and 13 podiums, the last of which came in the season finale at Barcelona and the hope is for a strong race here on Sunday.

With four races in the books, where does Haas F1 Team stand in relation to its midfield counterparts?
We're in the mix of that midfield group, which is extremely tight. It will vary a little bit from race to race in terms of who's in front of that group, but we're certainly in the mix.

You seem to have assimilated to the team quickly. How has the transition been to Haas F1 Team?
It's been very easy and enjoyable. It's a really cool bunch of people and it's been very easy to settle in.

Much was made about the new cars for this season as they are demonstrably faster with more downforce and much wider tires. Despite the amount of change introduced this year, how normal does the new car feel after four races?
We all get used to the cars very quickly. After testing they all felt very familiar and normal. You still notice how fast they are. You still feel extremely good when you push the car. It's a lot more fun than before.

Last year, finding the proper working range of the tires proved difficult. After racing at four very different venues in four very different environments, how is it to find the proper working range of this year's tires?
It's easier than last year, but it's still not straightforward. It's something that we still need to focus on, but it's not as difficult as last year.

You racked up a lot of laps at Barcelona earlier this year during winter testing. Do you have a higher level of comfortability with the car at Barcelona because you know what to expect?
I would say we'll be a little bit more dialled in to the speeds that we can carry and the driving style we use in Barcelona. After a few days of testing, you're always a little bit more comfortable. I'm looking forward to going back there.

The data Haas F1 Team had from last year is largely out of date because this year's car is so different. But Barcelona allows you to have current data thanks to all the time you invested in testing. Granted, all of the other teams have 2017 data from testing too, but how valuable is it to arrive at a grand prix with pertinent data secured only two months ago compared to a year ago?
It's an advantage, but it's an advantage that everyone has. It's not going to help us be more competitive, because everyone else has it as well.

It's been two months since you tested at Barcelona. How do you expect the track to change between then and now?
Not at all, it's the same.

Barcelona marks the first European race on the Formula One schedule. Typically, many teams bring updates to their cars for the Spanish Grand Prix. Does Haas F1 Team have any updates for its cars and what are your expectations with these updates?
Yes, we have some upgrades coming for Barcelona. It's always interesting to see what they can bring. Hopefully, it will be positive.

Between the updates all the teams are expected to bring and the collective knowledge learned about the current car, how different is the Spanish Grand Prix weekend from when teams were in Barcelona two months ago for testing?
It depends on how big the effect of these upgrades are. Obviously, if it changes the behaviour of the car, then we need to dial the balance back in and do a bit of work on the setup. Hopefully, it will be pretty transparent and straightforward, but we'll have to wait and see.

Do you have any milestones or moments from your junior career that you enjoyed at Barcelona?
Yes, I won the World Series by Renault championship there. That's always a good memory.

What is your favourite part of the Barcelona circuit and why?
The podium!

With Barcelona's mix of corners and abrasive surface, how physically demanding is the track in terms of what you have to do behind the wheel?
It's a pretty tough track. There are some fast corners there that pull on the neck, some good braking zones. It's always a pretty physical track but I look forward to it.