‘No chance’ – Kevin Magnussen rules out one alternative F1 option with emphatic reply
The F1 drivers’ parade in Hungary
Gearing up for what could be the final 10 races of his Formula 1 career, Kevin Magnussen pragmatically says whatever comes next is just “another step” in his journey.
Recalled to the F1 grid in 2022 when he was re-signed by then Haas team boss Guenther Steiner, Magnussen made his mark against the inexperienced Mick Schumacher only to fall short against Nico Hulkenberg a season later.
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In a sport in which you’re only as good as your last race and compared to your team-mate, the Dane lost out to Hulkenberg on Saturdays and was ultimately outscored by him on Sundays.
That’s a story that has continued this season, although playing the team game – and some would argue crossing the lines while doing it – Magnussen has helped Haas to seventh place but in doing so has sacrificed his own performances. And even his reputation.
Sitting on ten super licence points having played bollard to Hulkenberg in Jeddah and again, but to the extremes, in Miami, he has 10 super licence points but only five World Championship points.
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It has effectively meant the end of Magnussen’s Haas career with the team confirming an all-new line-up for 2025 with Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon.
As such Magnussen has just two viable options remaining, Alpine and Sauber, but he has scarcely been linked to either of those.
However, the 31-year-old is not ready to throw in the towel.
“I’ve been in a situation like this before, it doesn’t bother me too much,” he told Motorsport-Total. “Of course I would have liked to stay here, but that’s just part of it.
“This is just another step on this journey.
“Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport and everyone clings to it as long as they can… But maybe that will change in 2026.
“At the same time, it is exciting to know that things could be different next year. I will be in a new situation and there is something exciting about that.”
But while Alpine or Sauber could yet be in Magnussen’s future, the one thing the Dane won’t accept is a reserve role in F1.
“No, no. No chance!” he insists. “Why should I travel to 24 races to maybe get one more race? I have competed in almost 200 races, so I don’t need this one more. Absolutely not.”
Magnussen was asked prior to the summer break if he would consider the World Endurance Championship or IndyCar having signed with Peugeot’s WEC team for the 2022 season prior to his Haas call.
He also competed in IMSA in 2021 for Chip Ganassi and even made a one-off appearance in IndyCar for McLaren.
He replied: “All of the above. I think everything is on the table in that case. So, yeah, it’s hard to… I’ll see what’s available out there and make my mind when I get there.
“Right now, I’m in Formula 1 and there’s still a couple of seats open for next year that I’d like to see where all that ends up and then look at things afterwards.”
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