Kevin Magnussen says it is imperative that he beats Jolyon Palmer as he looks to secure his future with Renault.

The former McLaren driver was handed a F1 lifeline by Renault, who signed him an 11th hour deal after dropping Pastor Maldonado.

Despite his year away from racing, Magnussen was quickly up to speed, recording a best result of P11 at the Bahrain GP.

But while that equals Palmer's P11 from Australia, the Dane is ahead in the standings having finished in 17th place to his team-mate's 22nd.

"It is no secret that you have to be better than your team-mate," Magnussen said in an interview with told Ekstra Bladet newspaper.

"It's going to be crucial for the team because it is clear that they want the best.

"If there is a new driver, they will choose the best.

"But that's is not the only thing. It's also about being the best driver on the grid."

The Dane also revealed that he is finding life at Renault a lot less demanding than his time with McLaren.

"I’m in a team now where the commercial side means less and that is one of the things I really like about it," he said.

Magnussen added: "It is a team that is here for the sport."