Haas believes continuity with a team has been instrumental in Kevin Magnussen’s improved form at the start of the 2018 Formula 1 season.
Magnussen, 25, competed for McLaren in 2014 before being demoted to a reserve role the following year, only returning to a race seat for 2016 when Pastor Maldonado’s funding fell through at Renault.
Uncertainty over his long-term prospects at Renault prompted Magnussen to join Haas for 2017, meaning this season marks the first time he has spent back-to-back years in a race seat at the same team.
Magnussen ended a three-year Q3 absence in Australia – and again made the top 10 in Bahrain – and was only denied a strong haul of points when Haas was forced out with cross-threaded wheel nuts.
Magnussen went on to take fifth in the race in Bahrain, matching Haas’ best-ever result, and claimed a point in China, his first back-to-back top-10 finishes since 2014.
“I think being with us for two years now has a lot to do with it,” said Haas team boss Guenther Steiner on Magnussen’s form.
“The first year, he figured out everybody. He knows who is who. He likes the atmosphere around the team.
“He hasn’t had this before and, now, coming into the second season is something new, and it’s helped pull the talent out of him
He likes the car and the car is good and that combination has given him confidence.
“He doesn’t have to overdo things. He believes in himself that he can do a good job with a good car.”
Romain Grosjean, meanwhile, has yet to score in 2018, though Steiner played down such a statistic.
“While Romain hasn’t had the results he would’ve liked and we all wished we had, for one reason or another, there was never a lack of performance,” said Steiner.
“There are no issues within the team. We have a good team atmosphere and Romain will get the results he and we want. I have no doubt about that.”
