A welder or the new Hamilton? Kevin Magnussen’s parallel universes

Life is a bizarre factor. You set targets. You’re employed. You propose. However one thing fully random can change its course so dramatically that you simply simply know: if that one thing hadn’t occurred, it might all be totally different. An airline algorithm might put you within the seat subsequent to your future enterprise accomplice. You can step on somebody’s shoe in a bar, strike up a friendship and – bam – earlier than you realize it, you are working as a lifeguard in Australia.

Or a Danish millionaire might like your handshake and – bam – 5 years later, you are an F1 driver.

You’d suppose Kevin Magnussen‘s path was set. There was no manner the son of Denmark’s greatest motorsport star might escape being a racer, proper? However when he switched from go-karts to vehicles, his father Jan ran out of cash to finance his profession – and it was rescued by a fellow known as Karsten Ree, one in all Denmark’s richest males, who occurred to sponsor Magnussen Sr.’s crew within the nation’s touring automobile championship.

“I do know for a undeniable fact that I gave him an excellent handshake once I met him,” laughs Kevin as we sit down with him exterior the Haas hospitality space forward of his last race in F1 to look again on his profession. “I shook his hand, seemed him within the eye and apparently introduced myself in a great way! He informed my dad about it later. You already know, ‘This child’s obtained one thing’. And he was like, ‘Ah! I wish to assist him’.

“By way of outcomes, there wasn’t a lot advantage. I might completed effectively in karting, I might received the Danish Method Ford. However you realize, it wasn’t sufficient for him to go in and put all the cash in. And I assumed I am glad I gave him that good a handshake!

“Then one other investor got here in – and that was within the British Method 3 season. The primary couple of races did not go so effectively, however he had made this massive dedication and he wished to see outcomes. So he known as me into his workplace and stated, ‘Look, I have to see one thing’. And I simply obtained – I do not know – actually aggravated. I stated ‘OK, you realize what, come to the subsequent race and I will win two races’. So cocky! And once I left I used to be like, ‘Shit! Fuck, man. What did I simply say to that man…’ – due to course he stated, ‘Yeah. Good. I will come. I will go see it.’

“And he went there. And I received two races! And, you realize, had I not received these two races, I’ve a sense he won’t have been so obsessed with this mission!”

Carlin’s Kevin Magnussen profitable at Snetterton in British F3

There’s a parallel universe during which Kevin Magnussen, the son of a former McLaren and Stewart F1 driver, is a welder within the small city of Roskilde. When his dad might now not afford to pay for Kev’s racing, his uncle obtained him a job at an area manufacturing unit “since you by no means know the way this motorsport factor goes to prove” – and he spent three months there welding issues collectively.

“The factor is, it is not even a parallel universe,” he grins. “It is this universe. You already know, I used to be in a workshop with instruments in my hand, working as a welder. I had that. Not for very lengthy, thank God, however that actuality is just not very removed from me. And it is sort of, in a manner, a part of my id. A giant a part of me feels misplaced right here. I am a Method 1 driver? Lots of people know who I’m? It nonetheless feels… not actual.”

He is completed effectively. Ten years within the sport, 185 races, greater than 200 factors, a pole and a podium. It’s a profession that many could be jealous of. However is there something that might dramatically change its course and make the statistics look extra spectacular?

Take Lewis Hamilton, for instance. It does not take a lot creativeness to see him as an eight-time world champion – that is straightforward. However what if, within the closing laps of the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, the rain had slowed simply sufficient for Timo Glock to seek out sufficient grip to speed up out of the ultimate nook of the championship? Had Hamilton not received his first title then, would he have moved to Mercedes? There’s arguably a parallel universe the place Lewis is not a champion in any respect. However is there one the place Kevin Magnussen is?

“Effectively, you realize, I got here into F1 with a crew that, on the time, you’d suppose I used to be simply copying Lewis,” he says. “Even after the primary race of the season I assumed, ‘Yeah, I am following Lewis right here’. Once I left Australia, I seemed on the drivers’ standings on the airplane, only for enjoyable. Clearly it was only one race. However I used to be P2 within the championship and I assumed, ‘OK, the battle is on, within the first 12 months’. I actually thought that.

Kevin Magnussen racing to second place for McLaren within the 2014 Australian Grand Prix

Picture by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Photographs

“However it turned out to be an outlier race when it comes to efficiency, and the remainder of the season, and the various, a few years after that… it took McLaren ten years to get again to the shape they’d in 2012. And I hit it proper originally of that downward development. And if I had come two or three years earlier, it might have been a special story.

“I believe I used to be additionally unfortunate to lose my seat on the finish of that 12 months. You already know, I had been faster than Jenson [Button], on tempo. He’d outscored me by far within the races. However it was fairly clear what I needed to change. I simply needed to end the races, you realize, simply settle down a bit. It was not like I wanted to do issues higher. I wanted to carry again a little bit – after which I believe it might have been a totally totally different efficiency when it comes to consistency and so forth.

“I believe I used to be unfortunate to lose that seat that 12 months, and that sort of modified my trajectory and my profession loop.”

After the McLaren board determined Button could be the one to accomplice Fernando Alonso into a brand new and – because it seemed on the time – thrilling period with Honda, Magnussen was despatched to sit down on a substitute bench. He moved again to Denmark and spent a 12 months travelling to races with McLaren as a reserve driver, all whereas battling melancholy and desperately wanting to return again. He ultimately did with Renault – however the momentum was misplaced.

“I nonetheless believed in it,” he says, when requested if the considered profitable the world championship had gone out of his head by then. “What I wished to do was present that I used to be ok to go together with an enormous crew. And I believe Haas was an excellent place to try this. I ended up coming again to F1 with Renault, however just for one 12 months – and that was poisonous. I might have continued. Though they denied providing me a contract – I can present you the contract they supplied me. However the entire thing was poisonous there, so I used to be glad to get the possibility to go to Haas and discover that stability and that assist.

Kevin Magnussen on the grid for Renault

Picture by: Mark Sutton

“It was my third 12 months in F1. I used to be 24 or one thing… 23? You already know, something was nonetheless doable. I nonetheless believed it was doable. And there have been moments once I felt it was moving into that route.

“In 2018, we had a extremely good automobile within the first half of the 12 months. Charles [Leclerc] had simply arrived in F1 with Sauber. And he… the beginning of his first season wasn’t nice. And mine was actually good! After which instantly Ferrari was reaching out. You already know, instantly I used to be driving of their simulator, not for Haas, however for Ferrari. They have been sniffing round. And I assumed, okay… I used to be already getting enthusiastic about the place this was going.

“However then Charles began to essentially kill it! And I heard nothing.

“I do not know the way shut it obtained. However I believe if Charles had not began to carry out, if he had had a shitty season all 12 months lengthy, I believe I’d have been one of many drivers they’d have checked out. Typically you’re feeling like you might be getting shut, however nonetheless not that shut. That is the way in which it goes.

“And after that season, Daniel [Ricciardo] left Purple Bull, and I keep in mind my administration talking to Christian Horner, due to course everybody was speaking concerning the Purple Bull seat. And Christian stated, ‘Look, there’s nothing at Purple Bull, however we are able to discuss Toro Rosso’. And I stated, ‘No, no, let’s not try this,’ which I in all probability ought to have completed.

“It was Gasly who took that [Red Bull] seat. [Alex] Albon was promoted from F2 to Toro Rosso, after which Gasly did not do an excellent job – and Albon got here in! So, you realize, the man who obtained that Toro Rosso seat ended up at Purple Bull.”

It will have been too straightforward – to not say unfair – to place all of it all the way down to luck and probability. You continue to should set targets, plan and work exhausting. Does he really feel he is labored as exhausting as he ought to have? And does he imagine he had the expertise to develop into a world champion?

“I might have completed extra, for certain,” he admits. “You already know, I do not suppose anybody can say ‘I could not have completed extra’. I believe there’ll at all times be issues… There have been instances once I did not work exhausting sufficient. However then there have been instances once I labored my butt off. I do not actually have any regrets. I do not suppose there’s something I might have completed to vary the course of my profession. I actually doubt that.

Kevin Magnussen takes half in Haas’ household image on the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Picture by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Photographs

“And what’s sufficient expertise? I believe, you realize, I’d have cherished to have had extra – as a result of it might have made issues simpler! However I believe I had a fairly good quantity of expertise. If something, I’d have appreciated to have been extra within the expertise right here.

“That half does not actually curiosity me. I wish to simply drive. And I believe all these techniques and all this mapping stuff and all this theoretical set-up stuff faults me a little bit bit. I am not a automobile man! More often than not at residence I drive my spouse’s Volvo as a result of it is extra comfy than my very own automobile. I respect simply driving and competing. But when I had a much bigger pure curiosity within the expertise facet, it might have in all probability benefited me.”

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Maybe he might have completed higher with the media. You’d in all probability blame him for having one of many lowest variety of Instagram followers on the grid, regardless of spending ten years within the sport. You’d in all probability argue that he might not less than attempt to work on his picture. However whereas different drivers use virtually each arrival within the paddock as a red-carpet alternative, Kev at all times walks by way of the gates sporting denims, sneakers and a crew T-shirt.

“I believe that is part of F1 that I do not actually establish with,” says former welder Magnussen. “Like… being the influencer is one thing I do not relate to. Under no circumstances.

“I am a driver. I drive the automobile. I’d really feel very misplaced strolling in with a Prada, you realize, no matter – all these vogue manufacturers… In the event that they’d paid me some huge cash, okay, perhaps I’d put on it! However I’d nonetheless really feel very unusual. I imply, there is a business facet to F1 that I’ve realized to navigate. Clearly, there’s some huge cash in sponsorship and business offers. However what I’ve type of discovered is that these high-end vogue manufacturers do not wish to pay anyway as a result of they’re so massive. So that you higher go together with an IT firm.

“What’s all of it for? Constructing an enormous model, changing into a vogue icon and all that… I believe some persons are simply pleasing their egos. If you concentrate on it… we’re simply racing vehicles, you realize? The actually essential issues in life will not be occurring right here.

Kevin Magnussen through the drivers’ parade on the 2024 Italian Grand Prix

Picture by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Photographs

“However I believe it is one thing that is constructed into us from a younger age, in all these drivers, that that is who we’re. It is our id. It pleases our egos – to be quick. We really feel good once we’re fast, faster than different guys. It is a bizarre factor, proper, if you concentrate on it! Being sooner than another person, making him really feel shit… That could be a fucking good feeling! And I do not know what it’s. It is a bizarre factor. But when you concentrate on what we really do right here, it turns into a bit trivial.”

However F1, with all its pretentious grandiosity and over-inflated egos, has given Kevin Magnussen every part he has now.

“It has given me the chance to dwell a privileged life,” he says. “Initially, I take a look at it from the attitude that I am a dad now. I present for my household and I can try this by driving a automobile and nonetheless take pleasure in life.

“That could be a big privilege that not many individuals have. I can spend on a regular basis I need with my youngsters. And we nonetheless have meals on the desk. You already know, that is an important factor I take away from this profession. That is what I am most grateful for.”

Life is a very unusual factor. You possibly can lose your dream job, get depressed, burn by way of all of your money, transfer again to your hometown of fifty,000 together with your tail between your legs – and meet the love of your life and the longer term mom of your youngsters.

“She was working as a waitress in a restaurant and I simply began flirting together with her within the restaurant,” Kevin tells of how he met Louise. “I had simply misplaced my seat at McLaren and we met at a time once I was fairly depressed. She was finding out – she’s a trainer and he or she was finding out for that – and I used to be dwelling in her little condominium. Principally she sorted me, not the opposite manner round.

“I ran out of cash fully. I paid an enormous a part of what I earned to my investor. And I used to be younger and dumb, so I spent the remainder. I spent each penny I earned that 12 months. So just a few months into the next 12 months, I merely ran out of cash. I had no earnings. The financial institution had blocked all my bank cards. So once I obtained a suggestion from Toto [Wolff] to do a DTM shootout take a look at with Mercedes, I could not even purchase an EasyJet ticket. She paid for it. And I borrowed her bank card to go to that take a look at and purchase meals and petrol for the rental automobile.

“She’s actually been superb.”

Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Staff, his spouse Louise Gjørup and their little one

Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs

He is not ending his profession with a world championship. He hasn’t even received a race. And his solely podium continues to be the one he obtained in Australia in 2014. However he’ll inform you that he is obtained one thing greater out of his time in F1.

“I believe it is one thing that is solely got here within the final couple of years,” he says. “Whereas previously, I believe I used to be very determined simply to be in F1 and to realize my targets in F1. I assumed… I actually thought that happiness in life relied on that, you realize? And it has been an excellent reduction to return out of that bubble and realise that it does not rely upon that in any respect. You already know, it is a good factor to have, nevertheless it’s not a should.

“I imply, I take a look at it from two angles. In a manner, I did not obtain my purpose. And I am really, you realize… it is annoying! It is sort of annoying. And it’ll at all times be annoying! However it’s advantageous, you realize. I take a look at what I obtained out of it and it is actually exhausting to really feel any type of unhealthy feelings. Once I look again on it from that angle, it is like… ‘Hell, sure!'”