"Don't go near Hamilton" - Haas team boss has this bit of advice for Kevin Magnussen ahead of 2022 F1 British GP
Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner has only one advice for his driver Kevin Magnussen: "Stay away from Lewis Hamilton at the start of the F1 British GP." The Haas F1 driver has tangled with the Mercedes driver twice this season in Barcelona and Montreal, respectively, and both times it has cost him dearly on both occasions.
Steiner was questioned whether his driver needed to change his approach at the start of the race, to which he admitted that this was not the case, although he did joke that Magnussen might need to steer clear of Hamilton at the start of the race.
Guenther reflects on a disappointing Saturday at the #BritishGP as we suffered a double-Q1 exit.
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He said:
“No. I always say, if I have to manage the start and the first lap for the driver, it is difficult to do. They need to know what they are doing and I think they know what they are doing. It [contact] can happen. Kevin knows now, third time, don’t go near Hamilton because, to be honest, both times, he has paid the consequences and normally that doesn’t happen.”
He added:
“But if I have to tell a driver that you have to do this and this at the start because the start could end up, I don’t know. You can tell them what to do, to go slow. Yeah, try telling them to go slow at the start. You know where you will end up and maybe somebody bumps into you.”
You can't control 19 F1 cars: Guenther Steiner
Signing in for Sunday 🇬🇧
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Guenther Steiner was rather pragmatic about the incidents Magnussen has had this season and admitted that giving advice to the drivers on how to drive the car is probably not the best thing to do. The reason being is that no one can control the other 19 cars on the grid and something like this is just part of racing. He said:
“It is one of those things. I have been doing this for long enough and I tell the guys to do the best job they can and keep out of trouble. But can they guarantee it? No way. You are not in control of the other 19 cars.”
Haas will be starting the British GP on the backfoot as both the drivers were eliminated in Q1 on Saturday. It will be interesting to see if the team can salvage a point or two in the race.