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Kevin Magnussen was seen acknowledging Yuki Tsunoda after their brilliant battle on track for 10th place during 2023 F1 Saudi Arabian GP.
Tsunoda was initially ahead of Magnussen and defended his position with all his might. Even after Magnussen overtook him once, the Japanese tried to retake the position on the main straight with DRS. Though both drivers locked up their front wheels in turn 1, the Dane was able to get a better exit and took the 10th position for himself.
Kevin Magnussen was quite impressed by Tsunoda's determination to race for a single championship point. After the race, the car's on-board camera showed both drivers meeting each other in parc ferme, giving each other a thumbs up, and exchanging a few words. Since it was a clean battle between the two, they were quite positive about it.
The Danish driver also spoke about the battle in the media pen, where he appreciated the young Japanese for his racecraft and dedication. He said:
"Yuki did a great job to defend and for many laps kept me behind. Just put his car in all the right parts to destroy my aero in the crucial points and always getting good exits in the last corner and defend in turn 1. But I got him eventually, I'm really happy."
Kevin Magnussen sits in 12th place in the drivers' championship after the Saudi Arabian GP, ahead of Yuki Tsunoda in 14th place.
Kevin Magnussen wants Haas to move up the grid and score points
Among several midfield F1 teams, Haas is also trying to gradually move up the grid and continue their long-term goal of becoming one of the top teams. Magnussen recalled his team finishing eighth in 2022 and would love to see them finish higher this year. He also aims to score as many points as he can to give his team a fighting chance against others. During pre-season testing in Bahrain, the Dane told the media:
"Last year we finished eighth. If we could be closer to the seventh [or] sixth best team from the beginning of the year, that would be great. But we have to remember where we came from and just focus on making progress and going forward. I never think that I can't go for points. I always have the mindset that I can, and I don't see any reason that we shouldn't aim for points from the testing we've had."
The 30-year-old managed to score a single point for the team and for himself during the 2023 F1 Saudi Arabian GP. His teammate, Nico Hulkenberg, is yet to open his account in the drivers' championship. As of now, Haas sit in seventh place in the constructors' championship. Haas will face several challenges as the 2023 F1 season progresses, given how tight the midfield table is turning out to be this year.
