Magnussen: Haas "always had a headwind" in 2018

Haas F1's Kevin Magnussen had the biggest points-haul of his F1 career in 2018 with 56 points, but the Dane still feels like the American team fell victim of bad luck too often throughout the season.

Well, Magnussen doesn't call it bad luck himself, but rather headwind. The season looked to be starting beautifully for Haas, as they started the Australian Grand Prix from P6 and P7, and even climbed to P4 and P5 in the race itself, before disaster struck with the tyres not being bolted on properly during the pit stop, forcing both drivers to retire from a very promising race.

“This year has felt like a lot of things that could go wrong did go wrong,” Magnussen was quoted by Yahoo Finance.

“It’s one of those where the wind is always a headwind, you know. I’m hoping for a bit of tailwind next year.

“That’s the thing, you have to take the blame for those things. Because you can always, no matter what the situation, have done something different.

“Although it might have been a very tricky situation you can always look at it and see something you could have done better. That’s what we’ll do and try and put ourselves in a better situation next year.

"I am hoping we will have a bit more tailwind. And let’s say tailwind, rather than luck.”

K-Mag was fighting with Nico Hülkenberg for the 'best-of-the-rest' championship for large chunks of the season, but Haas's dip late in the season meant the Dane couldn't keep up with Hülkenberg, who brought it home for Renault in both the drivers' and the constructors' championship.

Still, it was the 26-year-old's highest-ever points tally in F1, but that doesn't mean much to him.

I don’t really rate it, put it into a ranking like that,” he responded when asked if 2018 was his best season in F1.

“I haven’t won anything. In my first year I had a podium, so that in itself is more important than this year. I don’t rank it just because I got 56 points, it is still not that great.

“In a way this is the best time in my career. But unless you are going for wins and championships it isn’t going to be that great.

“I think personally I am in the best place that I have been in Formula 1 with Haas F1 and the experience I now have in Formula 1, it is more enjoyable.”