Kevin Magnussen on F1: “When I watched the races, it hurt a little”

" Out of sight out of mind. » This is probably what must have been repeated over and over again Kevin Magnussen, during its passage through America in 2021, during its only motorsport season outside of F1 since 2014. And yet, if the Dane admits to having taken a lot of pleasure in trying his hand in the various categories through which he passed, his return to the championship was experienced somewhat as a deliverance, for a man who did not I couldn't imagine coming back. Barring an unlikely twist of fate like the one experienced mazepin, shortly before the start of the season.

“It’s truly a huge privilege”

Because before the war in Ukraine broke out, andHaas separates from his title sponsor Uralkali, Kevin Magnussen led a quieter life, far from the pressure that comes with the role of Formula 1 driver. The Dane first tried his luck in IMSA, the American endurance championship, before trying theIndyCar with McLaren on a race, then on the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Before embarking on a longer-term project, in WEC, next to Peugeot .

“I was very happy to have kept a life outside of Formula 1, did he declare. I continued to race, I did a lot of things. I did Le Mans with my dad as a teammate, it was a lot of fun and, I raced IndyCar, I raced at Daytona in sports cars and I had a lot of fun. It's certain. And I didn't feel like I was missing out on Formula 1."

Because since his return to F1, shortly before the second phase of winter testing in Bahrain, Kevin Magnussen seems much more relaxed and open than he seemed before. His comeback within the American structure was also accompanied by renewed performance for Haas, who announced before the launch of the season that he did not want to miss the boat of the revolution started by F1.

A successful bet for the Dane, who despite the first three days of missed tests, has already accumulated 22 points – 10 more than his teammate Mick Schumacher.

“When I watched the races, it hurt a little to know that I wasn't going to do it again, he confesses. Once I retire for good, I will always miss driving these cars and racing these cars. It really is a huge privilege and the last year has shown or highlighted what a privilege it is. Once you lose it and you get it back, it's very cool to be a Formula 1 driver."

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Magnussen's dream comeback couldn't have started better, with a fifth place finish in the first race of the season. Especially in a context where Haas had just experienced a difficult season, failing to score a single point. If, as expected, the American team experienced a slight drop in performance mid-season, a series of updates arrived just before the summer break. Magnussen's experience was therefore very appreciated.

“I'm hoping for a lot more performance, but with these updates sometimes it takes a little time to really understand the features and differences of the car, until you unlock the full potential. We saw it with the car we used all year, we just continually found more performance. »

Kevin Magnussen's season will resume at Spa-Francorchamps at the end of August, as Mick Schumacher finally broke the curse that seemed to surround him by scoring his first points in F1. Still improbable at the start of the season, Haas can now chase sixth place in the constructors' standings.