F1 News
Magnussen nearly ended up at Red Bull family: 'I should have'
- Ludo van Denderen
Kevin Magnussen is currently in preparation for the 24 Hours of Daytona event, the legendary race that takes place in the IMSA series in the United States. After driving for Haas F1 season, the Dane will continue to drive at endurance events. Magnussen enjoys having found his niche, but he would have also preferred to have driven at a top team in Formula One as well. A move to the Red Bull family could have been on the cards some time ago, he explains.
Magnussen could already be on the podium following his first even Grand Prix in Melbourne. However, that podium finish in Australia proved to be his best one in his F1 career, as he eventually finished in P2 after Daniel Ricciardo was disqualified. Something he never expected, the Dane explained to Motorsport-Total.
As a McLaren driver and with a P2 already in his pocket, he felt like "the new Lewis Hamilton", Magnussen said. On the way towards the plane, the Dane even thought, "'Okay, the battle [for the world title] is open, in my first year'. Yes, I really thought that," he confessed.
Magnussen rejected joining Toro Rosso
Throughout his career, Magnussen always kept hoping for another chance at a top team. The moment Daniel Ricciardo left Red Bull Racing, his manager spoke to Christian Horner, the Austrians' team principal. The latter revealed that there was no seat available at Red Bull Racing, but there were talks about joining Toro Rosso (currently called Racing Bulls). "And I said, 'No, no, we don't'. Which I probably should have done," he now sees.
Meanwhile, Magnussen knows how the situation developed retrospectively at those teams: "It was Gasly who got the seat [at Red Bull]. Albon was promoted from Formula 2 to Toro Rosso. Then Gasly didn't do well and Albon was transferred! So the guy who got that Toro Rosso seat ended up at Red Bull," said Magnussen, realising that driver could have been himself.
This article was written in collaboration with Kada Sárközi
Want more Formula 1? Then follow GPblog on our various social media channels!