Magnussen takes stock of his F1 career: “Need to rediscover the energy of victory”

Are you moved by the idea of ​​perhaps having experienced your last race in F1 ?

The last few years have been quite complicated. I like to win, like all drivers you will tell me, but I really want it. However, we never found ourselves in a position, even if only to hope, to play for victory. I'm not sad. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get my hands on a car that could win races, but I'm happy that I was able to fulfill my childhood dream of racing in F1.

Some of your colleagues without a steering wheel are already working to return in 2022. Are you in a similar state of mind?

I don't want to exclude anything, but I am fully focused on my next project with Ganassi in IMSA where I will drive a Cadillac DPi. I'm excited about starting this new adventure. Playing to win is the only thing that motivates me. The last race I won was over seven years ago. I need to find this energy of victory again.

I want to fight for the title all season, and not just to get out of Q1. The last two years, I was more hoping, waiting, for a lucky break. It's difficult, because you have to squeeze every last ounce of performance out of the car and rely on good fortune to make a result.

Listening to you, we have the impression that F1 can take away some of the simple pleasure of racing which consists of driving at full speed...

I think I was able to give it my all as soon as I lowered the visor. It is rather between races that the fire that animates all drivers tends to decrease in intensity in the long run if you do not win. As an athlete, only victory interests me. I have this competitive mindset.

Of course, you don't win all the time. It's actually quite the opposite, but these successes reward all the efforts made. This is what pushes you to work hard. But this energy tends to wane after 7 years of failure, it's true.

Do you have any regrets in your career? Perhaps the fact of not having had time to prove yourself McLaren ?

I don't regret this episode because, at the time, the racing team had chosen me but not the owners, who had other ideas in mind. After that, they had a difficult time. On the other hand, I would have loved to join Force India for my debut in F1. It was in the pipeline. I even went to have a seat cast at Silverstone.

McLaren, who had a technical partnership with Force India, wanted to place me there so that I could gain experience before committing. Finally, they recruited me directly. This is just one example of things that could have gone differently, but I don't want to dwell on the past.

You started your journey with two factory teams, with Renault in 2016, but it is at Haas that you felt most fulfilled. Were you not made to succeed in an environment that was too “corporate”?

It's more about trust and commitment. Haas really wanted me. Gene (Haas, the owner. Ed.), Guenther (Steiner, team principal. Ed.), and the rest of the team members put me at ease right away. After my experience with McLaren, I became very nervous, tense. I worried all the time. I found myself in the unknown overnight. I had no idea what I was going to do and I was left on the sidelines for a year (3rd McLaren driver in 2015. Editor's note). And this, while my career was just taking off.

At Renault, I had a similar feeling. I didn't feel a real commitment. I had the impression that the management team was on the lookout for other avenues. I heard so many rumors that they were talking to so-and-so. When I started talking with Guenther, the flow immediately happened. I told myself that this was the kind of environment where I wanted to evolve, where I could get back on my feet.

I joined Haas and the atmosphere was as I had hoped. I was able to grow and develop as a driver because I could take risks without worrying too much. If you are tense and constantly under pressure, this doesn't help you.

You were also able to express this somewhat daredevil side that we could see on the track at times...

I didn't have this reputation before joining Haas! (laughs). This is the kind of shortcut you often see in F1. You take one wrong step and your reputation is made. It's hard to get rid of the label after that. For me, it's just background noise, but it's difficult to completely ignore it, because you or social networks constantly remind us of it.

Once again, Haas has always been supportive. Thanks to their support, I was able to push the limits a little. I wasn't afraid of making mistakes, of sometimes crossing the yellow line. Of course, we had to perform well and I think I did that. I never received many penalties in real life. I have often been summoned by the commissioners, of course, but I have rarely been sanctioned. This means that I flirted with the limit without exceeding it.

What memories will you keep from your four seasons spent with Romain Grosjean ?

Romain is an incredibly fast driver, especially on a flying lap. Not that he is slow in racing, but in qualifying he has a special talent. Having him as a reference made me a better driver on Saturday afternoon. You really need to gather all the ingredients to beat Romain, you have no idea.

It's hard to imagine someone much faster. When he's on a good day, he's phenomenal. F1 is funny sometimes. Romain made a few mistakes and these overshadowed his top speed and driving skills.

Watch the full interview with Kevin Magnussen in issue n°2292 of AUTOhebdo, on sale in digital version and on newsstands.