Kevin Magnussen’s improved braking confidence sparks a remarkable performance upswing for Haas in recent Grands Prix, highlighting his late-season prowess.
Kevin has revealed how a sudden improvement in the braking system of his Haas VF-24 has catalyzed his recent resurgence in race results over the last two Grands Prix weekends.
Magnussen has struggled to match Nico Hulkenberg since the two joined forces as teammates last season, but the Danish driver has shown a marked upturn in performance over the past couple of race weekends.
Securing points in the Sprint race in the United States with a respectable seventh-place finish, Magnussen reinforced his form with another seventh-place qualifying effort in Mexico.
More than doubling his 2024 points tally in just two races, Magnussen attributes this turnaround to a newfound confidence in the VF-24’s braking system.
“I don’t want to jinx it, but it does seem that a few changes have been made to the car,” he admitted.
“Of course, the upgrade has worked well, and it’s there for both Nico and me. Over the past two races, I’ve felt extremely confident with the car. The real challenge now will be to maintain that confidence in the final races.”
Magnussen noted subtle alterations to the braking dynamics, though he remained coy on specifics. These adjustments, however, appear to have had a profoundly positive effect. “I’ve been very confident and just hope I can stay that way.”
Previously, Magnussen struggled with a delay between engaging the brakes and their response, a discrepancy that hampered his ability to navigate corners seamlessly.
“This season, when I hit the brakes, there was a slight lag before they engaged fully. Initially, it felt as though I wasn’t pressing hard enough,” he reflected. “Compared to Nico, my peak brake pressure has been considerably higher. I simply need to feel the brakes engage instantly, and this lag really dented my confidence on circuits. When the brakes feel uncertain, it throws off your entry into corners, and that’s unsettling. This change has made a huge difference for me.”
While Magnussen is hopeful Haas has overcome this braking discomfort, he’s eager to see how the modifications perform across different circuits before concluding the issue is fully resolved.
“This year, the braking has been quite inconsistent. It feels like we’re getting it under control. That certainly seemed to be the case in the last two races. I could genuinely feel the change, and it was extremely encouraging. I just hope it’s not temperature-dependent—I hope it’s real. But it’s certainly aligned with this recent update.”
“Sometimes, you race on circuits that suit the car perfectly. Austin and Mexico are quite different tracks, yet both had similar downforce levels.”
Despite this newfound form, Magnussen’s resurgence came too late to secure his seat at Haas, with the team committing to Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman for the upcoming season.
When asked if it was frustrating to find the car adapting to his preferences only this late in the season, Magnussen replied, “Yes, of course. I wish we’d made this change at the start of the year.”
“That’s how it is. Now, it’s all about making the most of the opportunities. I want to help the team secure sixth place in the championship. Scoring eight points as a team in a race, like we did recently, is incredibly important for us.”
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Magnussen’s Haas Revival: Brakes Key to Late Surge Magnussen’s Haas Revival: Brakes Key to Late Surge
