Kevin Magnussen confirmed he will leave the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team at the end of the 2024 season.
In a major shake-up for the Formula 1 landscape, Kevin Magnussen has confirmed his departure from Haas F1 Team at the end of the 2024 season, signaling the end of an era and paving the way for fresh talent to join the grid.
This decision marks the conclusion of a notable chapter for the Danish driver, who has been a key figure in the team since his return in 2022.
Magnussen’s journey with Haas began in 2017, and he has been a consistent presence in the team’s driver lineup. After a brief hiatus from Formula 1, he made a surprise return to Haas in 2022, stepping in for Nikita Mazepin and ever since he has contributed significantly to the team, including scoring Haas’s only pole position at the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix.
In a heartfelt statement regarding his departure, Magnussen expressed gratitude towards Haas and its owner, Gene Haas.
“I’d like to extend my thanks to everyone at Haas F1 Team,” said Magnussen. “I’m proud to have raced for such a great team of people these last few years.
“In particular I’d like to thank Gene Haas for his commitment to me, notably in bringing me back once again in 2022 when I thought, at that time at least, my time in Formula 1 had ended.
“I’ve enjoyed some great moments with this team – memories I’ll never forget. While I’m looking forward to the next chapter of my racing career, I remain fully focused on giving everything I’ve got for the rest of 2024 with Haas F1 Team.”
As of the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix, Magnussen has participated in 135 races for Haas, contributing to the team’s development and competitiveness. However, he currently sits in 16th place in the drivers’ standings, with five points to his name. His best results have been a series of fifth-place finishes, but he has not been able to replicate the podium success he achieved in his first race in 2014.
Magnussen’s performance in the 2024 season has been commendable, with several strong finishes contributing to Haas’s points tally. However, the decision to leave may also be influenced by a desire for new opportunities elsewhere.
“I’d like to thank Kevin for everything he’s given us as a team – both on and off the track,” team principal Ayao Komatsu said. “He’s truly been a bedrock of our driver line-up over the years.
“Nobody’s driven more races for us and we’ve had some memorable highlights together – not least a remarkable fifth place finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2022 when Kevin returned to start his second spell with the team.
“He wasn’t expecting to be driving a Formula 1 car that weekend, but he put in a remarkable performance that was a tremendous boost to the entire organization and once again showcased his own talents behind the wheel.
“There’s plenty of racing to go this year so I’m looking forward to seeing what else we can achieve with Kevin as we push together in the championship.”
Komastu also teased Magnussen may yet be offered a non-racing role to stay aligned with Haas for the future.
“I’m hoping we can find a way to keep working together in some capacity,” Komatsu added. “We can hopefully define that in the near future, but his extensive experience in Formula 1 and knowledge of our working operations are undoubtedly of value in our ongoing growth and development.”
The timing of Magnussen’s announcement comes amid a competitive season where Haas is striving to improve its standing in the midfield. However, the team has faced challenges in consistently competing with the top midfield teams.
The American outfit has already begun planning for the future, confirming that they have signed Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman for the 2025 season.
Additionally, Esteban Ocon of Alpine is tipped to join the team as his teammate, further indicating a shift in the team’s driver lineup as they focus on injecting new talent into their ranks.
