Magnussen: It's been a really good season

Kevin Magnussen has looked back on the Formula One season with positivity and even suggested that it has been the most fun he has had in the sport even with several high-profile bust-ups with other drivers including Fernando Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg.

This has been Magnussen's first year with Haas in F1 having previously been with McLaren in his rookie year and then with Renault, and even though a current 14th place in the championship standings isn't what he would have aimed for, he has reflected on a good professional year.

"It's been a really good season," he told the media this week.

"In terms of results, we could've gotten more out of it. Performance has been there to score big points on a few occasions, but we've missed out due to bad luck or reliability issues.

"I think we could've had a little more to show with a bit more luck, but it's been a really enjoyable season, and I've had the most fun racing that perhaps I've ever had."

Magnussen went on to insist that steady progress was being made in his skillset, even if it was not entirely obvious yet to sport commentators or the viewing public.

"It's hard for people to see what progress is being made from the outside, as a lot of the stuff doesn't pay off straight away," he explained.

"A lot of the stuff you improve and develop. It's about the little steps, and when you do a thousand of them, you make progress and the benefits become visible.

"Each time you make a step, it's not always visible. I can certainly see from the inside how we're building up and improving. There's still a long way to go and I'm happy I'm a part of it."

These comments come after a season in which his professionalism has come into question from Alonso and Hulkenberg, with the latter even calling him an 'asshole', but Magnussen has shrugged off the criticism, claiming:

"I'm not here to win friends."