Magnussen backs Schumacher for F1 success

Kevin Magnussen has backed Haas team-mate Mick Schumacher to find success in F1.

The German is yet to score a point in the sport having spent his rookie year with the team firmly at the back with the uncompetitive VF-21 and whilst Magnussen has returned from a year out with three points finishes in the opening five races.

But this does not paint a true picture of the pace difference between the pair, with Schumacher unlucky that a late safety car in Bahrain turned his strategy on its head.

A spin on lap one at Imola and contact with Fernando Alonso took Schumacher out of contention straight away and a collision with mentor Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin late-on in Miami also took him out of the top 10.

Magnussen is unconcerned, however, and asked how the relationship is between the two drivers, the Dane replied: “It’s very relaxed.

"Mick is a nice guy and he knows what he is doing. I try to be very…I wouldn’t even say I try. It is very easy to be very open with him because he is very open himself and very honest.

“He is not someone who makes excuses. He is honest with the team, he is honest with himself and I think he is very easy to work with.

“The team likes him and he is a great driver. He has won in F3, he has won F2 prior to getting to F1 so he has earned his place here and he is going to do well.”

Schumacher 'will take it to Magnussen'

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner is hopeful Schumacher can break his points duck in the near future.

Asked if his driver had taken a big step since his rookie season, Steiner replied: "I wouldn't say a big step over the winter.

"I think when he got in this year, he had a reference and there was a reason why we took Kevin back.

"We know what he can do and obviously Kevin is a good driver and for Mick now he has got a reference and he just needs to come up to that level.

"But he knows that and he has got a good opportunity to do that and he will take it at some stage - hopefully rather sooner than later - because we would like him to score points as well, you know, like a lot of other people.

"He's maturing and this year I always told him, the higher up we get the thinner the air is getting you know, it's getting more and more difficult, higher up in the standing you are, you know, getting into the points it's not easy, you know, because there is a lot of good people there and a lot of good teams there.

"So hopefully we can get his first point soon."

Additional reporting by Ian Parkes

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