Before the Hungarian GP, Kevin Magnussen spoke about his end in the Haas team, which will take place after the end of the current season.
As of Thursday, it is definitively clear that the Haas team will have a completely new driver line-up in 2025. While the departure of Niko Hülkenberg to Sauber was announced back in April, the team has now announced that it will also say goodbye to Kevin Magnussen after the current season, whose contract will expire and will not be renewed.
For Magnussen, this is a situation he knows well from the past. He ended up in the Haas team after the 2020 season, when he was replaced together with Romain Grosjean by the young driving pair of Mick Schumacher/Nikita Mazepin.
“I would like to continue with the team. It would be great to see the processes that have been created here lately. However, I think there are other interesting projects. Even in F1, there are still vacancies that could be interesting,” said Magnussen, quoted by Autosport.
“Also, it’s better for me that I’m clear now,” said the 31-year-old racer, who now has enough time to get a racing engagement for next year. Whether it will be in F1 or somewhere else.
At the moment, it seems unlikely that Magnussen will get a new seat in F1. However, even this is not a reason for him to end his career as a racing driver. In addition, he has something to build on outside the world of F1.
“F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport. But I’ve always been of the opinion that racing outside of Formula 1 is also amazing. I experienced it in 2021, when I drove in the IMSA series. I had quite a busy schedule,” recalled Magnussen, who three years ago also tried the 24 Hours of Le Mans and participation in IndyCar championship races.
“Don’t forget that my whole childhood was about getting into Formula 1. I subsequently spent 10 years in the sport, so it was interesting and quite exciting to see a different side of life in 2021. And it definitely wasn’t scary, it was actually very positive and fun. It kind of showed me: ‘Stay in Formula 1 as long as you can, but don’t be afraid of what’s out there’. Even life after it will be good,” added the holder of one pole position and one podium in F1.
Will Magnussen work with Haas?
When announcing that the Haas team would not extend Magnussen’s contract, his boss Ajao Komatsu said that the team would be interested in the Dane’s services in the future.
Magnussen himself is not opposed to this idea. However, he would prefer the role of advisor rather than, for example, the position of substitute.
“I’ll definitely look into it. I have been in this team for many years. I know its operation very well. I have a lot of experience. So it would be good to continue using it instead of leaving the sport altogether,” Magnussen said on the subject.
“If I manage to get a role with the Haas team, it would mean that I haven’t got a Formula 1 race seat anywhere else. In that case, I would end my career in F1. I wouldn’t just want to go to every race (as a substitute, editor’s note). I think it’s not very exciting to be a reserve rider and wait for someone to break their leg,” he concluded.
