Kevin Magnussen says that achieving a podium result with the Haas Formula 1 team would mean more to him than his successful 2014 debut that saw him classify in second place.
Magnussen joined F1 in 2014 with McLaren alongside Jenson Button and starred in his first race in Australia, crossing the line in third.
However, he was later promoted up a position after Daniel Ricciardo was disqualified and was joined on the podium by Button.
It remains Magnussen’s only top-three result in F1 to date, having competed for Renault and Haas since then.
Magnussen will return to Albert Park in Melbourne this weekend – but says that he is a completely different driver compared to nine years ago.
“Many, many things,” he said, when asked what’s has changed from a personal standpoint since his F1 debut.
“When I look back, I feel like I was a child back then. It’s basically a third of my life since then and a lot of stuff has happened since.
“It was a very intense weekend because having your first Formula 1 race weekend in itself is a big thing, a great experience on its own.
“Then, getting on the podium made it that much more special and certainly one of the weekends in my life that I’ll remember forever.”
Magnussen crossed off his first ever pole position in Brazil last year, taking advantage in changing conditions to set the fastest lap time.
As he awaits a return to the podium, the Dane says that climbing into the top three positions would mean more to him now than it did on his F1 debut.
“A podium would definitely mean more now than back then,” he said. “Back then, I was in a whole different mindset, as I came from junior categories where podiums, wins and championships were a regular thing.
“Getting on the podium in Formula 1 was a big thing but it was also something that I almost expected and anticipated, whereas reality showed later on that it wasn’t going to be the norm.
“Now, it would mean so much more because it’s not something I’m anticipating as such – I’m dreaming, hoping and working towards it – but it’s not something we can expect.
“So it would mean a million times more than it would back then.”
