Renault confirms Magnussen’s return to F1

2016 F1 season

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Renault has confirmed Kevin Magnussen’s return to F1 in place of the ousted Pastor Maldonado in their driver line-up.

Magnussen said he believes the teams can become championship contenders but doesn’t expect it to happen immediately.

“It’s not only a Formula One drive but it’s a top drive,” he said. “Renault Sport will be fighting for world championships in the future, it might have a build-up phase, but they’re here to win and that’s a goal I share.”

Magnussen won the Formula Renault 3.5 championship in 2013 before making his debut in F1 with McLaren. He stunned by taking a podium finish in his first race at Melbourne but lost his seat to Fernando Alonso at the end of the season.

A one-off return in the first race of 2015 ended in disappointment when Magnussen’s car broke down before he made it to the grid. He was then dropped by McLaren at the end of the year – an experience he called “character building”.

“I had a season in 2014 with McLaren and I felt it went quite well pitched against a past world champion,” he said. “To be replaced the following year was tough even if the line-up the team used was very strong. I had been racing every year since I was six so to sit to the side certainly wasn’t part of my plan.”

Magnussen said he is “physically ready” to return to racing. “Without racing last year I actually had more time to train and I feel very fit because of that.”

“I’ve not had a lot of time in a race car but the time I had, I felt good,” he said. “I was always surprised at how quickly I re-adapted to driving after time out of the car. I was pretty much immediately on the pace when I tested the Porsche Le Mans car and I’ve been on it whenever I’ve been in an F1 car. I’m ready.”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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8 comments on “Renault confirms Magnussen’s return to F1”

  1. When will this article be updated? :P

    Good news though, for F1, and for Renault.

    1. No, nO, NO, update the article by saying Renault signed a better young prospect!

  2. Hopefully for Kevin’s sake, the 2016 McLaren will be better, otherwise he could lose his seat to Fernando again :P

    1. Noooo, didn’t even think of that. – don’t say such things haha
      As we know, you are never sure of a seat in f1, and I would be fully ok with him not getting a second Renault season, if he doesn’t show enough – but I have a very good feeling that he will :)
      As a Dane, I’m just glad he got another chance to prove himself, which he fully deserved.
      – This year of f1 suddenly has much more meat on it’s bones for me, and many a fellow countryman.

      That car looks stunning btw. Very clever to keep the black, and replace the gold (beige) with yellow. In that way they keep the Lotus pedigree, but still signal a Renault takeover, and a fresh new look.
      Sharp designers in that team – just hope the same goes for what’s underneath that paint job!

  3. I see he brings sponsors, Jack & Jones is a Danish brand. Pretty disappointing that a manufacturer team like Renault takes money in this way.

  4. I’m very glad to this!

  5. Infiniti. Interesting.

  6. K Mag rides again!

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