Magnussen may need 'the whole year' to regain strength

Kevin Magnussen was called to return to Haas at the last minute after the team decided to cut its ties with Nikita Mazepin. However, his sudden comeback to Formula 1 also meant that he could not prepare himself physically enough.

As a result, the Danish driver suspects that his neck will continue to take a beating in the coming period and that he may not be fully up to strength until next year. "“I think it will take this whole year and maybe a winter," he predicts according to Racer.com.

Between the many races, especially during double- or triple-headers, Magnussen says there are not enough opportunities to train 'flat-out'. Improving his fitness therefore seems an impossible task, yet he is already noticing progress. "The neck is a key point and that’s getting stronger all the time," Magnussen says.

Physically, he may still have a long way to go, but that is not reflected in his results. Since his return to Haas, he has shown some strong results, which have earned him a provisional tenth place in the standings despite his recent breakdowns.