Haas announced today that Kevin Magnussen will leave the team at the end of the current season. The 31-year-old Danish driver has competed in 7 championships with the American team. This represents 135 races out of 175 in the team’s history. Magnussen, who also raced in F1 with McLaren and Renault, had his best season in 2018, when he finished the championship in ninth position, finishing in the points zone in 11 of the 21 races. His best placings were the fifth places obtained in Bahrain in 2018 and 2022, although the most prestigious result is the pole position achieved in Brazil in 2022.
KOMATSU: NOBODY HAS DRIVEN MORE RACES FOR US
Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu, in his thanks to Magnussen, recalled one of the Dane’s finest achievements:
“I would like to thank Kevin for everything he has given us, both on and off the track. He has truly been a pillar of our lineup over the years.
“No one has driven more races for us, and we have enjoyed some memorable moments together, not least the extraordinary fifth place at the 2022 Bahrain GP when Kevin returned to begin his second stint with the team.
“He wasn’t expecting to be driving an F1 car that weekend, but he put in a stunning performance that gave a huge boost to the entire team and showcased his talent behind the wheel once again.”
Komatsu did not rule out the possibility that the relationship between Haas and Magnussen could continue in the future:
“Given Kevin’s special relationship with the team, I hope we can find a way to continue working together. We hope to be able to define this in the near future, but his vast experience in F1 and knowledge of our operations are undoubtedly invaluable to our growth and development.”
The American team announced the hiring of Oliver Bearman before the Silverstone weekend. A second name, almost certainly Esteban Ocon, will be revealed shortly.
MAGNUSSEN: “THANKS FOR THE CALL IN 2022, WHEN I THOUGHT MY TIME IN F1 WAS OVER”
For his part, Magnussen prefers to thank the team for now, postponing plans for the future of his career:
“I would like to extend my thanks to everyone at Haas: I am proud to have raced for such an exceptional team over the years. I would like to thank Gene Haas for his commitment to me. Especially for calling me back once again in 2022 when I thought my time in F1 was over.
“I have had some amazing times with this team, memories I will never forget. While I am looking forward to the next chapter of my racing career, I remain fully focused on giving everything I have for the remainder of 2024. ”
