Magnussen suffers burn out in Singapore hot-seat

21 September 2014 04:46

Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen needed medical attention for burns to his backside following Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix in which he finished 10th for McLaren.

In hot and humid conditions under floodlights at the south east Asian street circuit, he was one of many drivers to suffer from fatigue and dehydration -- and in his case a burnt backside.

"That was tough, very tough. At least we got one point," he said.

"I don't know if something was wrong, but my seat was very hot, so we have to check what's going on. I couldn't even drink the water it was so hot.

"It's the hardest-earned point I've ever had, but it's better than nothing."

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier said the race was a physical ordeal for Magnussen, 21, who was fighting problems with his car's extreme tyre wear.

"To add injury to insult, he was then subjected to severe bodily discomfort," he explained.

"As his car's cockpit began to overheat, it necessitated him holding his arms aloft, first one then the other, in an effort to direct cooling air down his sleeves and inside his race-suit, which was an unusually painful complication for him."

McLaren team-mate Jenson Button, the 2009 champion, was forced to retire in the closing laps with a mechanical failure after starting 11th and running seventh with six laps to go.

Source: AFP