Magnussen admits 10-year wait for podium return ‘frustrating’ as he reflects on maiden debut rostrum in Australia

Haas racer Kevin Magnussen has called the decade-long wait for a return to a Formula 1 rostrum “frustrating”, as the Dane reflected on 10 years since scoring a podium in his very first race in the sport.

Making his debut with McLaren in Melbourne back in 2014, Magnussen stunned the F1 world by finishing in third place behind winner Nico Rosberg and then-Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo – with Ricciardo later disqualified from the race, bumping Magnussen to P2.

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In reaching the podium on debut for McLaren, Magnussen emulated the achievement of future seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton back in 2007. But while Hamilton would go on to score a record-breaking 197 podiums (and counting), Magnussen has failed to return to the podium since that fateful day in Albert Park – a fact which, speaking at the track 10 years later, the Dane admitted was frustrating.

Asked in the pre-Australian Grand Prix press conference how he reflected on his 2014 podium appearance, Magnussen replied: “I don't really! It's been so long, it feels like a lifetime ago.

“A lot has happened since. It's a nice thing, I'm proud of having gotten on the podium in my first race, but at the same time, very frustrating to have done 10 years and not got back on the podium.

“So mixed feelings on that too. But it was a great weekend and every time I come here, I get sort of that feeling back. In itself, doing your first race in Formula 1 is special, no matter where you finish. And to get on the podium was insane in that first weekend, so a lot of memories.”

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Meanwhile, with Ricciardo also in the Thursday press conference – along with compatriot Oscar Piastri – the pair were asked which of them would get on the Albert Park podium first, with Ricciardo keen to put the record straight after his 2014 pre-disqualification appearance…

“Ten years ago actually it happened, I stood on it!” Ricciardo said. “We'll have to wait and see. Obviously it's a dream for us, any driver really, to be on their home podium, so that would be ideal and an amazing, I would say, career moment for both of us. But for us to get there, I think it would probably take a bit of a race like last year. But yeah, we'll do our best.”

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“I think we're both going to need some good fortune to end up on the podium,” added Piastri wryly. “But it would be very, very special.”