Steiner in heaven after Magnussen's pole: “When it rains soup, you have to have a spoon ready! »

We were no longer used to seeing Günther Steiner with such a big smile at the Grands Prix of Formula 1. The Italian director has had difficult years over the last three seasons, with a team Haas vegetating in the last positions. Enough to make this surprise pole Kevin Magnussen in Interlagos even more delicious! Over the moon after this first pole in the history of the Haas team, present in F1 since 2016, Steiner declared that his entire team “deserved” this reward.

“It wasn’t luck”

The former engineer Red Bull, who became director of the American team from his debut 6 years ago, confided that this pole position for Kevin Magnussen was certainly his best moment in his entire motorsport career. “If you dream of this, you are afraid of dreaming of this, Steiner told Sky Sports. We are making efforts, the whole team has been making efforts for seven years. Even if the circumstances allowed us to obtain this result, I think it was not luck, it was well deserved on the part of the driver, of the team. We had to be on the right tires at the right time, Kevin made a lap when he needed to. (…) When it rains soup, you have to have a spoon, and he had the spoon ready today. »

For Kevin Magnussen, it is also the accomplishment of a more than successful comeback. Not renewed by Haas at the end of the 2020 season, preferring Nikita mazepin and his millions of dollars, the Dane should have participated in the championship WEC with Peugeot just a few months ago. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Haas reversed course and recalled its former driver days before the start of the season. Since his return, “K-Mag” has impressed and supported the American team with his 24 points scored and an 8th place among the manufacturers. A success that Magnussen “deserves a lot” according to Günther Steiner. “I think we always work hard, we never give up, we keep fighting. You will always have detractors... but I want to tell them 'enjoy our pole position'! »

The objective for Steiner: “Get points” 

Magnussen will start in the lead for the 24-lap Sprint race on Saturday afternoon in São Paulo. With the world champion Max Verstappen alongside him on the top line, Steiner admits to keeping realistic expectations for the team's chances. “24 laps to keep everyone behind will be difficult, but I would be happy if we got points. We don't need to win the race. I mean, if we win it, I would be more than happy, but it would be very unrealistic to think that. »

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