For the Dane, however, clearly the whole experience was a blur.
“It was unbelievable really,” Magnussen said on Monday. “The team have taken
care of me so well and I am proud of the team. It does not feel real. It is
so strange that this is happening. I have been dreaming about this for my
whole life. I have now done my first F1 race, I was able to get on the
podium and I did it with McLaren. It is my dream.”
Although it is just one race, with McLaren some way off the outright pace of
the Mercedes at this early stage, the result marked a dramatic change in
fortunes compared with 2013. As Jenson Button said after an emotional
third-place finish: “It has put a smile on people’s faces. It is a massive
psychological boost.”
In a team with Dennis back at the helm, however, they will enjoy only the
briefest moment of reflection before they look forward to Malaysia in less
than two weeks’ time.
Magnussen has also quickly picked up the McLaren focus, which some believe
hadslipped in recent years.
“No [I will not celebrate],” he assured reporters, with Dennis watching on.
“We know we are not the quickest so we have to keep our work rate up and
keep it flat out.”
But if he was in any doubt, Dennis was ready with the kind of tale he has
become famous for.
“A very wise old man went into his house and nailed to the celling was a pair
of shoes,” Dennis told the 21-year-old. “I asked what they were for, and he
said they were his son’s shoes. ’Every time he sees them it reminds him to
keep his feet on the ground’, [the man said]. I will put some in your
[Kevin’s] hotel room.”
As far as his own role goes, before the start of the season the 66-year-old
promised at the team’s Woking base he would be avoiding trips to the
pit-wall, and that he was simply there to observe. But it did not take long
for Dennis to make the short trip from the garage to the pit-wall to have a
quick word in Boullier’s ear.
“He was not [telling me what to do],” the Frenchman said. “He came to visit a
couple of times.”
Dennis himself clearly found it hard to stay away. “I’m a racer, so the
thought of not understanding and contributing doesn’t come across my mind,”
he said. “When you observe things it’s good to say why not this or why not
that.”
After Daniel Ricciardo’s disqualification – which Red Bull have said they will
appeal – Magnussen was promoted to second and Button to third. The result
leaves McLaren at the top of the constructors’ championship with 33 points.