Having achieved a powerful consequence for Haas F1 Group with a ninth place end on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix final season, Kevin Magnussen is seeking to replicate his efficiency at Jeddah Corniche Circuit this 12 months and rating a share of factors for the group.
“Final 12 months, Saudi Arabia was a powerful weekend. Coming away from Bahrain with a fifth place and coming to Jeddah, expectations have been excessive and the tempo was good within the automotive. We acquired a bit unfortunate with technique – the security automotive got here out at a susceptible time for us – however we nonetheless managed to attain a couple of factors and I hope we will be sturdy right here once more this 12 months.”
A number of alterations have been made to the high-speed observe since final 12 months’s race, with the intention of enhancing sightlines and guaranteeing driver security. Being the venue of considered one of 2022’s most action-packed weekends, Magnussen hopes that these modifications don’t hamper the “thrilling” nature of competing there.
“I believe it’s a fantastic circuit. Final 12 months was my first time there and it’s a extremely enjoyable and thrilling observe to drive, so I hope it hasn’t modified an excessive amount of or a minimum of not modified for the more severe.
“I hope it’s nonetheless going to be an exhilarating place to drive. It’s a circuit the place confidence with the automotive counts for lots – you’ll want to be assured and proud of the automotive and pleased to push as a result of it’s a fairly flat-out observe.”
Magnussen additionally appreciates how small the margin for error is in Jeddah, as drivers will be caught out rapidly for minor missteps– a top quality that has been evident up to now two years for the reason that circuit joined the calendar.
“Some locations you go to you discover the groove in a short time and I felt that was the case in Jeddah final 12 months. It’s a type of tracks that I actually like and the place there are loads of penalties for going over the restrict, and getting near the restrict is tougher than going to different tracks with run-off.”
When requested if Saudi Arabia will give the group a clearer concept of the place their automotive falls within the pecking order, Magnussen stated that it’s nonetheless going to be too quickly to inform, with fixed improvement underway and a wide range of completely different sorts of tracks developing on the schedule.
“I believe it would take a couple of races, it’s not like if we’ve got two good races or two dangerous races that we will conclude a lot. We’ll get a tough concept of the place we stack-up however I count on the midfield to be that shut that it might simply change on different tracks afterward within the 12 months. There’s additionally loads of improvement occurring in all groups and good or dangerous, we simply want to remain targeted.”
“It’s all concerning the danger versus reward administration” – Nico Hülkenberg
Group-mate Nico Hülkenberg likewise loved racing in Saudi Arabia when subbing in for Sebastian Vettel in the beginning of 2022 and appears ahead to returning to the circuit– this time as a full-time driver with Haas.
“The observe is exclusive and particular. It’s unbelievably quick given it’s a avenue circuit and it positively offers you an enormous rush and kick. It’s very difficult and technical however I loved it there final 12 months and hopefully I’m going to get pleasure from it extra this 12 months.”
With small errors harbouring huge penalties at a avenue circuit like Jeddah, Hülkenberg stated that he takes a barely completely different, extra cautious strategy versus a extra conventional observe resembling final spherical’s Bahrain Worldwide Circuit.
“It’s a avenue circuit so that you at all times begin off just a little bit on the safer aspect and lap-by-lap, session-by-session transfer it up, pushing tougher, getting nearer to the restrict and taking larger dangers.”
Finally, he stated that it’s a matter of compromise and balancing the chance of pushing to the restrict with this tight and unforgiving structure.
“In qualifying, a small mistake might have detrimental penalties, and you’re conscious of that as a driver. It’s all concerning the danger versus reward administration that we do always.”
In settlement with Magnussen, Hülkenberg believes that it’ll take longer than simply two races to actually perceive the group’s place on this 12 months’s championship in addition to the attributes of VF-23.
“Jeddah is clearly the second race and it’s acquired very completely different observe traits from Bahrain, however then each different observe afterwards can be a bit completely different so it’s going to take longer than two races to know the automotive totally and see which traits it fits or not.
“We’re in a ‘work in progress’ scenario the place issues are nonetheless very dynamic and are at an early stage and may change quite a bit.”
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/1019504443-SUT-20230302-GP2301_102351MS1_4589-1-717-800x533.jpg?resize=800%2C533&ssl=1)