Haas should have heeded burned-out Mexico F1 brake sensor warning

The team boss said they will "be more careful" with rising brake temperatures after Magnussen’s sensors burned out and stopped relaying information to the pitwall.

As previously revealed, the brake temperatures rose because Magnussen was defending hard from Logan Sargeant, and had wound the bias to the rear.

That eventually tipped rear temperatures over the edge, which overheated the suspension, at which point the team lost data from the brakes as the sensors had burned out.

Magnussen’s engineer had just told him that he had to control temperatures when the left rear trackrod failed, sending him into the barrier.

"No, we didn't change anything,” said Steiner when asked by Autosport if there were any modifications on the cars to address the temperature issue.

“We just need to be more careful when it gets there, to brake more with the engine, brake-by-wire, or just to lift and coast. That's what we can do.

“It's little bit unfortunate, because it [the temperature] goes up, the brake doesn't fail, the sensors go out because of the heat, and then nobody knows anymore what is happening, and then the suspension was broken.

“Once it got going, it was very quick, that was the reason. The brake was obviously a little bit hot, all of a sudden, all the sensors are gone. And then then the suspension snaps."

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team

Steiner conceded that the message from Magnussen’s engineer could have been sent earlier.

"Yeah, it was too late,” he said. “And with having no sensors anymore, you're thinking the worst-case scenario, and in that case, it was. It was just a bit too late."

Asked if the drivers had learned a lesson about managing the brakes, Steiner added: "We learned as well, when the sensors go out, it's too hot! It's quite a good warning…”

Steiner confirmed that Magnussen’s chassis survived the accident with minor damage, and has been repaired for this weekend.

"Yes, it's already finished,” he said. “They just had to change one sidepod inlet. A glued-in part, it's new, but the chassis is fine.

"The mechanics are really well prepared for this, as long as you've got the spare parts. There was one part which is glued onto the car, the radiator inlet, they fixed it already on Sunday night, so the glue can dry.

“When the car got here, it was already glued on. This is what they do these days. These guys are very prepared, all the parts are already pre-fitted. So it's not like that you have to fit things, all the tolerances are very good. So it was no issue.

“Today, once we were allowed to start the engines, both cars were ready to fire up. And nobody had to work late. This is a very well-oiled machine, F1 now.”