Kevin Magnussen says the will to battle for wins once more was key to his resolution to signal with Peugeot for the agency’s return to the highest class of the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2022.
The 28-year-old Dane was ditched by the Haas Formulation 1 workforce on the finish of 2020, ending his F1 profession after seven seasons. He now drives a Cadillac prototype for Chip Ganassi Racing workforce within the American IMSA sports activities automotive championship, and he’ll work with Peugeot because it develops a brand new Le Mans Hypercar contender for its World Endurance Championship (WEC) return subsequent 12 months.
The sports activities automotive swap marks a significant profession change for Magnussen, who made his F1 debut with McLaren in 2014, ending second in his first race. That consequence would show to be his solely podium throughout an F1 profession that additionally included a season at Renault.
After the Peugeot deal was made public, Magnussen spoke to a choose group of media about his F1 profession and his new targets.
What was the attraction of becoming a member of Peugeot?
“Peugeot has a great document at Le Mans. My ambition is to achieve success and win it. My dad [former works Chevrolet Corvette racer Jan Magnussen] has been racing at Le Mans for greater than 20 years. It has been a dream of mine to race it someday. I couldn’t think about a greater strategy to do it then with Peugeot.”
Was it the plan to mix racing within the IMSA championship with serving to Peugeot put together?
“It wasn’t all the time. The chance with Peugeot was to go racing in 2022, so I wanted one thing for this 12 months. The chance with Ganassi got here up and it was a great alternative to attempt to win some races in IMSA.”
Is it good to have your future safe for a couple of years?
“I’m more than happy with what the subsequent years will convey for me. I’m simply excited to get began. I’m probably not pondering too far forward. The work with Peugeot will begin in direction of the top of the 12 months for me, and I’m wanting ahead to that.
Haas workforce boss Guenther Steiner stated he would think about you as a substitute driver ought to the workforce want one. Would that curiosity you?
“It’s very tough to say at this second. I don’t assume it will be that fascinating. I’ll all the time be there for the workforce; I had some good years with them and I’ll be accessible for recommendation. Guenther is a pal and I’ve many good associates throughout the workforce. However racing as a one-off, I don’t actually have a lot curiosity in that. I wish to be totally targeted on what I’m doing. I miss profitable an excessive amount of. I had seven years in F1, and doing yet another race only for the laps isn’t that fascinating.”
You stated final 12 months that you just have been driving higher than ever. Do you’ve got any regrets about leaving F1?
“I obtained to the purpose the place I felt I used to be able to take some type of step. I felt I had been in just about the identical spot for a few years, probably not making any progress, probably not going anyplace. I’m an bold particular person; I’m pushed by competing and competing for wins. I didn’t really feel I used to be actually doing that in F1. I used to be at my highest degree as a driver, I continued to develop as a driver regardless that the outcomes weren’t getting any higher in F1.
“In my first race in F1, I completed P2, and that is definitely not the race the place I did the perfect job. I continued to get higher as a driver, and after seven years I felt in an excellent spot, and with the expertise I’ve, I used to be able to take some type of step, and that is the right step for me.”
So are you drawing a line beneath your F1 profession?
“If Mercedes got here and requested if I needed to drive, I feel everybody would have a look at that very critically. However I’ve given F1 a very reasonable shot and achieved my greatest to attempt to achieve success. I really feel very, very fortunate to have the ability to stay my childhood dream of racing in F1. I’ve a trophy at dwelling from an F1 race, which is one thing I dreamed about. I simply really feel I gave it a great shot, I’ve achieved it and I’m able to go and win some stuff once more.”
