Kannapolis-based Haas F1 Team makes a point in Miami

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (WBTV) - The Haas F1 Team, based in Kannapolis, managed to add another championship point on Sunday with a p10 finish for driver Kevin Magnussen in in the Miami Grand Prix, Round 5 of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. Nico Hulkenberg brought his Haas home to a p15 finish.

“We scored points again, three times out of five this year and that’s good, but it’s a tough crowd out there,” said Team Principal Guenther Steiner. “We’re there or abouts and if nothing happens at the front then we’re fighting for the last points which are leftover, and we got them this weekend after a very good qualifying. The race started very well, in the middle of the race we fell back a little, but we took a point home. All in all, it’s still positive. It’s tough and every point counts this year, and we need to be around when there are big points being dished out. I think we are always around so that day will come, but we’ve taken something away from our first home race.”

Up front, Max Verstappen got the victory, followed by his Red Bull teammate Serio Perez. The third spot on the podium went to Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso.

Magnussen started fourth on Pirelli P Zero Yellow medium tires and emerged in sixth spot on a battling first lap. The Dane was overtaken by out-of-position World Champion Max Verstappen before coming into the pits on lap 14 for White hard tires, completing his mandatory stop.

After a thrilling battle for several laps Magnussen was eventually passed by Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, while Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon profited from the alternative strategy to also move ahead. Magnussen nonetheless had sufficient speed to round out the top 10, claiming MoneyGram Haas F1 Team’s third points result from five races in 2023.

“I was dreaming of a little more than one point but still, it’s what we came here to do – to get points and finish in the top 10,” Magnussen said. “I don’t think it was an easy race to get points in because all the big teams finished up there and P10 is more or less the best we could’ve hoped for in terms of the pace we had. I think the pace was good, but we had a little bit more degradation than the rest of the field. It was a strong weekend, bringing something good to the car and getting a point at home.”

Hulkenberg started from 12th place on hard tires and extended his first stint in the thick of the midfield action. The German came into the pits on lap 33, bolting on medium tires, which he preserved through to the checkered flag, finishing in 15th position in a race in which all 20 starters were classified.

“It was a tricky, difficult race and it didn’t quite pan out the way we wanted,” Hulkenberg said. “The start was alright, but I think we were having difficulties in traffic. When we’re surrounded by other cars we were struggling for consistency and for grip, which made it quite difficult for me today. That also translates to higher degradation so maybe not a good one but I still feel some valuable lessons were learned and good data collected.”

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team retains seventh position in the Constructors’ Championship on eight points.

Next up is round 6 of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship is the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola. Practice – Friday May 19. Qualifying – Saturday May 20. Race – Sunday May 21.