Kevin Magnussen: “I think there’s a real buzz around the race, so it’s going to be great”

Kevin Magnussen is pleased that the FIA Formula 1 World Championship is racing in Miami for the first time this weekend, with the Dane having enjoyed his previous visits to the state of Florida.

The Haas F1 Team driver revealed that he was in Miami when he received the call from the team to return in place of the ousted Nikita Mazepin as he was preparing for a year in endurance racing, and he expects a big ‘buzz’ around the event that runs around the Hard Rock Stadium.

“I have visited Miami quite a few times,” said Magnussen.  “Last year I competed in the IMSA championship in America and got to spend a bit of time there.

“I was also on holiday in Miami when this job came about again! I’m looking forward to going back there, I think there’s a real buzz around the race, so it’s going to be great.”

Magnussen feels the new regulations have made it easier to follow other cars and make for better racing, and he hopes this allows overtaking opportunities this weekend in Miami.

The Dane has scored points in three of the opening four races of the current campaign, scoring more points for the team than they had achieved across the past two seasons combined, and he is aiming for another top ten finish in Miami.

“There’s two big overtaking opportunities with these two very long straights,” he said.  “The track then has a good mix of high-speed and very low-speed sections, from T4 to T11 is high-speed and from T11 to T16 is super low-speed so there’s a good mix and with two long straights to overtake, hopefully it will make for a good race.

“I think there’s been a positive change with these new cars in terms of racing each other and I’m certainly enjoying it, it feels like there’s a lot more room to push and attack.

“I feel acclimatized, I’m still working as hard as I can on getting back to full fitness, but I’ve made some very good progress and am getting there.”

“An American race is always fun” – Mick Schumacher

On the flip side, team-mate Mick Schumacher has yet to visit Miami, but he is equally excited by the prospect of racing there this weekend for the first time.

Schumacher knows the reputation of the beaches in Miami, and he wants to experience them during his time in Florida.

“I haven’t visited Miami yet actually, I’ve just driven past it when I was younger,” said Schumacher. “I’m very excited to go there, it’s a place I’ve always wanted to go and see and experience.

“The beach is quite known there, and my hotel is quite close, so I’ll probably get to go there and obviously I’m most excited about the race.”

Schumacher does not know what the new Miami circuit will be like but is excited to race again in the United States, with the German having made his stateside Formula 1 debut in last year’s United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas.

“I haven’t driven the track so it’s difficult to say what the highlights are going to be and what it’s going to be like, but an American race is always fun,” said Schumacher.  

“There’s always a lot of show, there are always celebrities that come who you wouldn’t get the opportunity to meet otherwise and it’s good to have the whole show broadcast.

“I think it’s great that we’re becoming more and more American in some ways because I think the fans are great and I enjoy myself every time I go. I’m excited about racing there more and more in the future.”

Mick Schumacher is gunning for the top ten this weekend in Miami – Credit: Andy Hone / LAT Images