Kevin Magnussen is a Danish racing driver currently competing in Formula One for Haas F1 Team.
He is the son of four-time Le Mans winner and former Formula One driver Jan Magnussen.
Magnussen came up through McLaren Formula One team’s Young Driver Programme and drove for McLaren in the 2014 Formula One World Championship, before a stint with Renault in 2016.
He has driven for Haas from 2017 until the end of the 2020 season, and rejoined the team on a multi-year deal in 2022.
In his Formula One career so far, Magnussen has achieved 1 podium finish, 1 pole position, and has scored 187 championship points.
He is known for his aggressive driving style and has earned a reputation as a “maverick” in the sport.
Outside of Formula One, Magnussen has competed in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2021 and 2022, winning his first race at the Detroit Grand Prix in 2021.
Siblings
Kevin has two half-siblings, namely Luca Magnussen and Millie Magnussen.
Luca is the son of Jan Magnussen and his partner Louise Ditlev-Simonsen.
Luca has been racing go-karts since he was 7 years old and dreams of one day racing alongside his father Jan and half-brother Kevin.
In 2021, Luca competed in the Danish F4 Championship, finishing 5th overall. He hopes to follow in the footsteps of his father and half-brother and make it to Formula One one day.
Millie is Kevin’s half-sister on his mother’s side. Not much is publicly known about Millie, as Kevin tends to keep his personal life private.
Karting career
Magnussen started karting at a young age, following in the footsteps of his father who was also a successful kart racer in his youth.
He competed in various karting championships in Denmark and Scandinavia, honing his skills and gaining valuable experience on the track.
Magnussen’s natural talent and dedication to the sport quickly became apparent, as he consistently finished at the front of the pack in his karting races.
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In 2008, at the age of 15, Magnussen made the transition from karting to single-seater racing, competing in the Formula Ford championship in Denmark.
He immediately made an impact, winning 11 out of the 15 races and clinching the Formula Ford championship title.
This impressive performance in Formula Ford caught the attention of the McLaren Formula One team, who invited Magnussen to join their Young Driver Programme.
Magnussen’s success in karting laid the foundation for his future achievements in motorsports.
The skills and techniques he learned in karting, such as precise car control, racecraft, and the ability to push the limits of a vehicle, have served him well throughout his career.
Formula One career
Magnussen’s Formula One career began in 2014 when he joined McLaren as a test and reserve driver.
He made his debut at the Australian Grand Prix that year, finishing on the podium in 3rd place.
Magnussen spent two seasons with McLaren, scoring 55 championship points.
In 2016, Magnussen moved to Renault, where he scored 7 championship points.
He then joined Haas F1 Team in 2017, where he would spend the next four seasons.
During his time at Haas, Magnussen achieved his first and only Formula One pole position at the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix.
After leaving Haas at the end of 2020, Magnussen’s Formula One career seemed over.
However, he made an unexpected return to the sport in 2022 when he replaced the ousted Nikita Mazepin at Haas.
Magnussen went on to score 25 championship points in 2022, helping Haas achieve their best constructors’ championship finish since 2018.
In 2023, Magnussen began his eighth full season in Formula One, partnering Nico Hülkenberg at Haas.
Personal life
Magnussen is married to Louise Gjørup.
The couple tied the knot on October 10, 2019 in a private ceremony in Denmark.
Together, Magnussen and Louise have two daughters: Laura Magnussen, born prematurely on January 11, 2021, and Agnes Magnussen, born in August 2023.
Magnussen proposed to Louise after the Mexico Grand Prix in October 2018.
The Haas F1 driver is known to keep his personal life private, but has shared a few glimpses of his family on social media over the years.