KANNAPOLIS, NC (WBTV) – Despite a strong qualifying run from both Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher, the day ended in disappointment for the Kannapolis-based Haas F1 Team.
“The day didn’t go as planned,” said Team Principal Guenther Steiner. “There were a few things, first of all the interaction between Kevin and [Lewis] Hamilton in Turn 4 which put him out of the race really. With him we just tried to do things on a strategy that if something strange happened, we could maybe do something, but it didn’t work. With Mick it was a tough race, it was a very good start, and it all went well, but after six laps we lost a few positions, and then it just went away from us. Not as planned but onwards and upwards.”
Haas F1 Team finished the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday with Mick Schumacher 14th and Kevin Magnussen 17th at the Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya.
Schumacher started from 10th place on Pirelli Red soft tires and enjoyed a strong opening lap before settling into a rhythm on a two-stop strategy. Schumacher came in on lap 12 for another set of softs before boxing for a second time on lap 31 for Yellow mediums, emerging firmly in contention for the top 10. Unfortunately for Schumacher he was passed late on by rivals running an alternative strategy and came home in 14th place.
“It’s quite unfortunate,” Schumacher said. “Obviously, we knew it was going to be tight with the two-stop and it didn’t quite pay off to stay out so it’s something to learn, something to understand and move on from here. It was a great Saturday, and we had a very clean Friday too which is very beneficial. We had a good start, a good first lap and that’s all you want from today. Maybe the pace just wasn’t there today but hopefully it will next week, so we’ll keep pushing.”
Magnussen took the start from eighth on soft tires but was involved in a clash on the opening lap with Lewis Hamilton that left the Dane in the gravel. Magnussen recovered but had to make an unscheduled stop on lap one, taking on mediums, which left him towards the rear of the field. Magnussen boxed for a second time on lap 30, switching to white hard tires, and brought the car to the checkered flag in the 17th.
“I was on the outside and got hit in Turn 4, had a puncture straight away and that was basically the end of the race,” Magnussen said. “I think we were on a tough strategy because of the first lap incident but when the tires were sort of new, the car was good. On to the next one.”
Up front Max Verstappen claimed victory for Red Bull Racing, ahead of teammate Sergio Perez, with George Russell third for Mercedes AMG.
Haas F1 Team maintains eighth place in the Constructors’ Championship with 15 points.
Kevin Magnussen occupies 10th place (15pts) in the Drivers’ Championship with Mick Schumacher in 19th position (0pts).
Next up is Round 7 of the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship is the Monaco Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo. Practice – Friday May 27. Qualifying – Saturday May 28. Race – Sunday May 29.
Haas F1 Team pit notes contributed to this story.
Copyright 2022 WBTV. All rights reserved.
