"I don't think I have anything to hide" - Kevin Magnussen trying to be 'very open' with Haas teammate Mick Schumacher
Kevin Magnussen is striving to be as open as possible with Haas teammate Mick Schumacher so that the team can get the best possible results.
The Dane said he's never been as comfortable with his other teammates in F1 as he is with Schumacher and feels no need to hide anything from the German.
Speaking on F1: Beyond the Grid podcast, Magnussen said:
"I try to be very open with Mick. I don't think I have anything to hide. This is how I feel for the first time with a teammate in Formula 1. I'm not stressed. If I can help him, then it will help the racing team and therefore also me."
Kevin Magnussen believes open communication between teammates in F1 is “rare,” especially when they are trying to outperform each other.
However, he feels that Schumacher’s honesty is refreshing, and it made him more relaxed within the team. He added:
"Mick is very inquisitive; he asks a lot of questions. Such open communication between teammates is rare in Formula 1. Some drivers are too proud to ask, others do not want to share information, and others are afraid of showing a weakness. Mick doesn't care about any of that."
"But this changed interaction is also related to me. I'm more relaxed than I used to be, and if he's faster than me, I can learn something from that too. And that's exactly how two drivers move a team forward."
Kevin Magnussen feels Mick Schumacher deserves to be in F1 more than any other driver on the grid
Kevin Magnussen feels Mick Schumacher deserves to be in F1 more than most current drivers on the grid.
He believes Schumacher has had to work harder than most drivers to prove and differentiate himself from his seven-time F1 world champion father.
Speaking on the Beyond the Grid podcast, the Dane said:
"It can't be easy with that last name. I mean, his father is the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time. Some people can say that Mick is only here because his name is Schumacher. But that's not true.
“He's cut from the right stuff. And he won races and titles, in Formula 3 and Formula 2. I was only second in Formula 3 myself, and some drivers didn't win any titles at all before they got into the premier class. Mick will make his way."
This year we’ll see a Schumacher and a Magnussen on the Grid, but not for the first time…
Their Dads were both on the grid in 95, 97 and 98. https://t.co/ZJd4lQuWkf
In his second year in F1, Schumacher has much to prove despite his incredible achievements in the junior categories.
Magnussen's arrival this season will provide the young German with a benchmark to measure his performance against as he learns from his more experienced teammate.