Kevin Magnussen finished fifth for Haas on his return to Formula One as the team bounced back from a pointless 2021 campaign; Magnussen only re-joined Haas shortly before the new season following the team's dismissal of Russian driver Nikita Mazepin
Monday 21 March 2022 14:02, UK
Haas principal Guenther Steiner hailed a fairytale comeback for both his team and returning driver Kevin Magnussen after the Dane secured fifth place at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
The American-owned team were the only constructor to fail to score a point during the 2021 season, having made a decision to focus on developing their car for 2022's radical regulation changes after a dismal 2020 campaign in which they managed just three points.
"If you think about the last two years and then coming back like this, you cannot write a story like this," Steiner told Sky Sports.
"The guys at the race track the last two years, they had tough times but they kept their heads low, learned and the pit stops today very good and everything was just fine.
"They took the last year to get ready for a better car and the guys delivered a good car this year. It's all down to the team, they can all be very proud. It's just fantastic."
Having spent four seasons at Haas right up to that disappointing 2020 campaign when the team decided to make changes, Magnussen appeared to be finished in Formula One. That was until the dismissal of Russian driver Nikita Mazepin amid his country's invasion of Ukraine just weeks before the start of the new season saw Steiner offer the 29-year-old the chance to re-join the team.
Revitalised by an opportunity he didn't expect, Magnussen immediately excelled in testing last week in Bahrain, before qualifying sixth and backing it up with an extremely solid drive in the race to finish fifth, as the late retirement of both Red Bulls aided his cause.
"It's been just a crazy," Magnussen told Sky Sports. "I feel like I'm saying the same thing all week, because it's just getting better and better. Every time it gets better I still can't believe it. It's just crazy.
"The team just deserved this so much. They've really worked so hard over the last couple of years. They took a lot of bashing (last year) with a tough car because they were focused on this car."
Steiner also offered high praise for his returning driver.
"Kevin did a fantastic job," he said. "For him, a comeback like this, he wouldn't have dreamt of I think.
"But things happen in life, a month ago it was a completely different scenario and now we are fifth."
The fairytale was almost completed by a first points finish for Mick Schumacher in the other Haas, but the son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher had to settle for his best-ever placing in 11th.
Schumacher excelled in comparison to Mazepin last season as both drivers toiled at the back of the grid, but the arrival of Magnussen has given the 22-year-old a genuine yardstick for his development.
"Mick got close," Steiner said. In the beginning he struggled a little bit more but he just needs to get used to it.
"The air up there is getting thinner. He will get used to it and for him it's a good position to be in. He can now analyse this race, see what he could have done differently to end up in the points, but he got close to it and it's his best result as well.
"From here on I think he's hungry for points as well."
Sky Sports F1 is your home for every race this season, and it continues with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix next weekend.
We will have build-up right through the week before covering all the action live from Friday's first practice at 2pm with the second practice session following at 5pm.
Saturday's practice is at 2pm with qualifying at 5pm before Sunday's race starts at 6pm in the UK. Sky Sports F1 will be on air from 4.30pm to build up to the action.
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The Formula 1 season continues on Friday on Sky Sports F1 with the Saudi Arabian GP. Sunday's race starts at 6pm. Find out more & subscribe.
