The new Lewis Hamilton?
From his time in the German Formula 3 Championship, Kevin Magnussen was part of McLaren's junior program. Only a few years after the Dane managed to finish third in that series, he got his first chance to prove himself during a test for McLaren in Abu Dhabi. The fastest time is credited to his name and the test also earned Magnussen an immediate super license. All lights were on green, but the Formula 1 debut was still waiting for the 2014 season.
With the departure of Sergio Perez at McLaren, a spot at McLaren will become available after the 2013-season next to Jenson Button and Magnussen was at the top of the list of candidates to replace the Mexican. During the Australian Grand Prix, K-Mag impressed immediately by finishing third in his first race in Formula 1, following in the footsteps of his father, who until then had been the only Dane with Grand Prix points to his name.
Jan Magnussen proudly watched on as his son seemed to follow the same path as Lewis Hamilton a few years earlier. P3 became P2 as well, after Daniel Ricciardo got disqualified for violating fuel rules.
Siding track
Despite good results and great point finishes, Kevin Magnussen only had a supporting role at McLaren in 2015 when the British team brought in Fernando Alonso. His role as test driver (and reserve driver) was also short-lived: After one year, team boss Ron Dennis announced he was free to go where he wants, as his contract was terminated.
A life jacket to keep the Dane in Formula 1 was thrown to Magnussen from Renault in 2016. Together with Jolyon Palmer, it was up to Magnussen to take the first steps with the French team.
Haas F1
After one year the collaboration with Renault came to an end and Magnussen switched to the young American team of Gene Haas: Haas F1. Behind the wheel of the car K-Mag managed to get five race points for the American race stable that season, with P7 in Baku his best result. Just one year later, Magnussen would just grab the title of 'best of the rest' by finishing ninth in the standings.
In 2019, Haas experiencedt their first decline during their short time in the sport. They finished ninth among constructors and Magnussen mainly had problems during the races. The following year ended dramatically for Magnussen. The Danish driver managed to bring in just one point for his team, after which Haas said goodbye to him.
IMSA SportsCar Championship
His departure from Formula 1 didn't mean the end of a racing career. In 2021, he competed in the IMSA SportsCar Championship. In this, he was quite successful with several podium finishes and a victory. Moreover, he used his time to participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in which he competed with his father.
Kevin Magnussen in 2024
Surprisingly, we saw Magnussen driving at Haas again in 2022. Together with teammate Mick Schumacher, he managed to make Haas forget the dramatic 2021 season, culminating in a surprising pole position in Brazil. In 2024, Magnussen will be hoping for more alongside Nico Hulkenberg.
