Kevin Magnussen – Haas – Bio, F1 Record, Stats and News

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Kevin Magnussen became an instant Formula 1 star, after becoming the first driver since Jacques Villeneuve to finish second in their first race as a rookie.

As Denmark’s most successful F1 driver of all time, with other 100 more race starts than his father – Jan, Magnussen or ‘K-Mag’ has become a widely respected member of the grid. 

How Kevin Magnussen Went From Hero to Zero  

It was a fairy tale introduction to Formula 1 for Magnussen who brought home a second-place trophy from the Australian Grand Prix. He began his career with McLaren in 2014 and had a magnificent impression on the sport. The Dane finished 11th in the championship overall with 12 points finishes, and an impressive fifth place finish at the Russian Grand Prix made his first campaign in the sport even more extraordinary.  

However, Magnussen’s dream start to Formula 1 came to a swift end after he was replaced by Fernando Alonso. He remained as McLaren’s reserve driver, and after being blocked from a move to IndyCar, he was released at the end of the season.  

Magnussen was quickly snapped up by Renault, where he took Pastor Maldonado’s recently vacated seat. The season was a huge disappointment for the Dane who could only finish 16th in the driver standings, following a string of detrimental reliability issues. However, he did manage to become the star of the team as he earned seven of Renault’s eight points in the 2016 campaign.  

In the following season, Haas signed the driver on a multi-year deal. Magnussen drove with Haas for four seasons spanning from 2017 to 2020 and his best season finish was his ninth place in the 2018 campaign. All four years ended up being difficult for both team and driver, and despite finishing above his teammate for three of those years, his contract with Haas was not renewed. 

After a year away from Formula 1, Magnussen returned to Haas and replaced Nikita Mazepin with another multi-year deal. The 30-year-old’s homecoming was a huge success as he took Haas’ first ever pole position in the Sau Paolo Grand Prix sprint race and finished above his teammate, Mick Schumacher. Continuing from last season, he continues to drive for the team from North Carolina and is now fighting in the midfield.  

Like Father Like Son 

Magnussen followed his father’s footsteps to become a Formula 1 driver. Jan Magnussen raced in three F1 seasons from 1995 to 1998 and made 24 race entries in the series. His parents split when he was young, and his mother Britt Petersen, has kept a private outlook her life. He also has a young brother, nine, who is currently racing in youth go-kart leagues. 

The private life of Kevin Magnussen

The Dane is married to Louise Gjørup, who has been keeping an extremely private lifestyle. Not much is known about the pair, other than her moderately popular Instagram account which posts pictures of their experiences on race days, or of their daughter.

After getting married in 2019, the duo had a daughter, Laura, in January of 2021. Magnussen spoke about the importance of his family on Drive to Survive Netflix series.

How much does Kevin Magnussen earn? 

Magnussen currently has a net worth of $25 million and is reportedly earning a salary worth $7 million with Haas. The Dane also possesses an extremely valuable car collection worth over $4.4 million, which includes a Bugatti Chiron worth over $3 million. 

• Name: Kevin Magnussen
• Date of birth: 5th October, 1992 (30)
• Place of birth: Roskilde, Denmark
• Nationality: Danish
• Team: Haas F1 Team
• Race number: 20

How Kevin Magnussen Made It To the Top 

Magnussen began his racing career in 1994, after former Le Mans 24-hour driver Jan Magnussen, his father, bought a kart. The pair dominated Danish go-karting leagues and he now owns his own track, the Roskilde Racing Center, in his home Danish city. 

Aged 16, he made his way into Formula Ford in Denmark and continued to his tyranny over the competition. With 11 wins from 15 races, Magnussen easily won the championship. He also competed in six rounds of the ADAC Formel Masters competition, and secured two podium finishes and a pole position. 

Following his successes in 2008, Magnussen moved up to Formula Renault 2.0 with Motorpark Academy. His first season in the season was a steep learning curve for the young driver as he finished seventh with just one podium. However, he did find huge success in the Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup, where he finished second with 12 podiums from 14 races.  

In 2010, the Dane continued to race with Motorsport Academy, but this time in the German Formula 3 Championship. He finished third in the championship overall with three race victories and took the crown as rookie champion.  

After such an impressive campaign, Magnussen was poached by Carlin who entered the driver in the British Formula 3 Championship. He continued to impress by taking seven race victories and finished second in the series. The Dane also competed in the Masters of Formula 3 race in Zandvoort in 2011 and finished third. 

For the next two seasons, Magnussen moved into the Formula 3.5 series, still with Carlin. The first season was relatively successful as a rookie, and he finished in seventh place. In 2013 however, he managed to win the championship by 60 points, with five victories and eight podiums. That dominant campaign was enough for McLaren to come knocking. 

The final Push to Become a Formula 1 Icon 

Last season was certainly a success for Magnussen who unquestionably outperformed his teammate and surpassed season expectations. Since that podium from his first ever race in Formula 1, he has never been able to truly recapture that driving quality.

However, with a more than capable midfield fighting Haas in 2023 Formula 1 season, he may be able to make more moments of magic. As a 30-year-old, there may not be many chances for the driver to do so again.  

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