Magnussen retained his seat at Haas for the season. The Haas VF-18 was a vast improvement on its predecessor, enabling Magnussen to compete at the front of the midfield. At the opening race in Australia, Magnussen lined up 5th on the grid, Haas's highest ever starting position. He had ran as high as 4th, however both Haas cars would retire from the race after their wheels were fitted incorrectly during their pit stops. Magnussen then finished 5th in Bahrain, his best result since the 2014 Russian Grand Prix. At the he collided with Pierre Gasly, who criticised Magnussen's defensive driving and branded him "the most dangerous guy" he had ever raced with.