Kevin Magnussen believes that Haas is justified in having modest expectations for the beginning of the 2024 season. However, he is optimistic about the team’s potential for improvement through ongoing development throughout the year.
Last season, Haas finished at the bottom of the constructors’ championship, which led to the replacement of team principal Guenther Steiner with Ayao Komatsu. Komatsu, a Japanese engineer, has already expressed his expectation of being at the back of the grid in Bahrain. Nevertheless, he aims for a more robust development plan compared to previous years, and Magnussen supports this approach.
Magnussen stated, “I think this year, expectations are being managed quite well. In the past, there have been instances of unrealistic optimism heading into seasons, and I have been affected by it as well.” He added, “Ayao is clear in his belief that we haven’t yet moved from last year’s position. However, he is optimistic about the development trajectory, and he believes that we can progress throughout this year.”
Recognizing the competitiveness of the entire field, Magnussen acknowledges that Haas encountered a significant obstacle in terms of development last year. It was only after a change in concept that they were able to break through that barrier. This year, the situation looks more promising. Magnussen notes, “Expectations are initially low, but they are high for the season as a whole.”
Magnussen concedes that there is a possibility that Haas may not make immediate progress in the first race compared to where they ended in 2023. This is due to the team familiarizing themselves with a new concept that was introduced last year.
Regarding the previous update, Magnussen describes it as more of an experiment rather than a true upgrade. He explains, “It’s difficult to classify it as an update or upgrade because it didn’t really move us forward. It was more of a sideways move. However, it was a valuable experiment in terms of committing to the concept of the car that we have this year. We wanted to see its potential and characteristics on the track, and this year is a step in that direction.”
While Magnussen hopes for progress, he acknowledges that Haas committed to this year’s car relatively late in its development. Despite the limited time for development, the team’s progress has been positive. However, Magnussen does not guarantee an immediate step forward in Bahrain at the first race. Nevertheless, he finds the ongoing development to be more intriguing.
According to the Source racer.com