Kevin Magnussen: I'm not holding McLaren Formula 1 team back

The Dane scored a podium on his debut at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, but has since failed to finish higher than ninth amid McLaren's battles with a lack of downforce on the MP4-29.

Magnussen's team-mate Jenson Button, who is the most experienced driver on the grid with 254 starts to his name, recently suggested any team would prefer to have two experienced drivers in its line-up, rather than an experienced driver and a rookie.

Magnussen says his feedback to the engineers is different to Button's, but feels this can help by giving the team more information from which to solve its problems.

"We are different and we feel different things from the car. This is good because you get different ideas," said Magnussen, when asked by AUTOSPORT how his technical knowledge compared to Button's.

"I don't feel like I'm holding this team back in the development of the car.

"I feel I'm contributing with good feedback and I'm saying what I feel and what I feel is right.

"I try not to hold back and be shy, I try to open my mouth. As young kid coming into Formula 1 you need to be brave enough to do that, whether it's right or wrong I'll let the team figure out."

The reigning Formula Renault 3.5 champion says the response from McLaren's engineers to him has been positive, which helps reinforce the feeling he is going in the right direction as he attempts to establish himself as an F1 driver.

"The best way to learn is to be open and say what you think," Magnussen added.

"The engineers understand I have very limited experience so they tell me what they think is right and wrong, but they listen a lot as well, which I'm proud of.

"They use my feedback, even though I'm so inexperienced, and that gives me confidence."