Magnussen deserves to lose Haas seat – Steiner

Jul.12 (GMM) A gaggle of current and highly experienced Formula 1 drivers should be worried about their futures on the grid.

That is the view of former Haas boss Gunther Steiner, who this week already declared that he thinks Red Bull should drop the underperforming Sergio Perez.

But he also thinks speculation that one of his own former drivers – Kevin Magnussen – should be similarly worried about being ousted, is justified.

“I like Kevin,” said Steiner, “but what he’s been doing lately against (Nico) Hulkenberg is not impressive to say the least. We have to be open about that.

“Either Hulkenberg is so good that we can’t compare them, or Kevin is just not where he needs to be at the moment to deserve a place in F1.”

Steiner also identified a few other drivers who are clinging to their seats.

“We have Checo (Perez), Danny (Daniel Ricciardo), Kevin, (Valtteri) Bottas,” he said.

“Bottas is difficult to say anything about, because his car is really not good. We don’t really know where he is. But there are quite a few of these guys.

“The people who give them a seat now have to think – ‘Is this the best for the team?'”