Kevin Magnussen is most likely at the end of his F1 career after failing to earn an extension with Haas in 2024. The Dane recently reflected on some of the missed opportunities which also included a past offer from Ferrari of all teams. Magnussen stated that had Charles Leclerc not been on the Italian team’s radar, he could have landed a seat at the Maranello outfit.
In an interview with Motorsport-Total, the Haas driver mentioned how Haas had a decent enough car in 2018 — a season when Ferrari fought for the world championship. It was also Leclerc’s debut season as the Ferrari junior was racing for Sauber, trying to establish himself in F1.
Meanwhile, Magnussen was doing quite well at Haas and was searching for opportunities at top teams. “And then suddenly Ferrari came calling. Suddenly I was driving in their simulator – not for Haas, but for Ferrari. And I thought, okay… I was excited about where this could lead”, the 32-year-old stated.
Sadly, Magnussen could not get beyond the simulator trial at Ferrari, as he did not “hear anything more” from the Italian team. Clearly, they were keen on promoting Leclerc who started to impress in an underperforming Sauber.
On this day in 2018, Ferrari announced Charles Leclerc would join Sebastian Vettel in their line-up from the following season ⏪
Six years later, he’s a seven-time Grand Prix winner in red ❤️#F1 pic.twitter.com/GvnjyEWrIQ
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 11, 2024
And their decision was perfect as the Monegasque driver hit the ground running with Ferrari in only his sophomore F1 season in 2019. Meanwhile, Magnussen’s F1 journey took a turn for the worse with Haas running into trouble both on and off track. The Dane even had to leave the sport for one season before returning to the American team in 2022.
What’s next for Magnussen?
Unlike 2020, Magnussen’s F1 exit at the end of the 2024 season seems more permanent as he finds himself without a race seat for next year. The 32-year-old has also made peace with this reality and has found an opportunity outside the pinnacle of motorsport in endurance racing.
He has signed up for BMW’s HyperCar program, which could see him compete in one of the two series — the World Endurance Championship (WEC) or the IMSA SportsCar Championship. BMW highlighted that they will confirm the same at a later date.
Let’s give a heartfelt welcome to Kevin Magnussen as he joins the BMW M family! ✨
The 32-year-old Danish racing star is officially becoming a BMW M works driver and will take the wheel of the BMW M Hybrid V8 next year. ️ pic.twitter.com/mtSiwJj0ox
— BMW M Motorsport (@BMWMotorsport) December 5, 2024
Having driven in IMSA during his sabbatical in 2021, Magnussen could go back there, but he would also want to relish the WEC challenge on a full scale.
On the other hand, Leclerc is keen on starting the 2025 F1 season with Ferrari looking one of the top contenders to challenge for the championship. Learning from his failed title challenge in 2022, the Monegasque driver will look to take the final step up and finally clinch the coveted championship to bring glory back to Maranello.
