Haas deliver the 'unwritable story' as "spectacular" Magnussen continues fairytale

Topher Smith
Sunday 20 March 2022 20:15 - Updated: 20:16

Guenther Steiner was left to reflect on an unwritable story after Kevin Magnussen ended Haas' 28-race points drought on his return to F1.

Haas sacrificed its development in 2021 in order to focus on the regulation changes for this year and has been quickly rewarded as Magnussen qualified seventh before bringing home 10 points for finishing fifth in the race.

It was the team's best result since it finished fourth and fourth in the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix in which Romain Grosjean was ahead of Magnussen.

Team principal Steiner was full of admiration for the fairytale turnaround the team has undergone and praised all involved in delivering its first points since the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix.

"What the whole team did, if you think about the last two years and then coming back like this, you cannot write a story like this in my opinion," Steiner told Sky Sports F1.

"The guys on the race track the last two years, they had tough times but kept their heads low, learned and the pit stops today were good.

"Everything was just fine and they took the last year to get ready for a better car. The guys delivered a good car this year, so it’s all down to the team and they can be very proud.

"I’m proud of them, it’s just fantastic and I can’t say more.

"It’s all down to the team and Kevin did a fantastic job. A comeback like this, he wouldn’t have dreamt of. Things happen in life, a month ago it was a completely different scenario and now we’re fifth."

Magnussen F1 return "spectacular"

Steiner's decision to bring Magnussen back to the team in place of the ousted Nikita Mazepin was fully vindicated as the Dane scored points in his first F1 race since the end of 2020.

"He knows how to drive a car, there is a reason why we got him back!" added Steiner. "When we knew we needed another driver it was the right choice to make.

"He came back full of energy and you must think he didn’t drive an F1 car for 14 months, so it’s even more spectacular.

"Can you imagine if he had just got out at the end of last year? We would have been on the podium."