Kevin Magnussen admits opportunity to return to F1 was ‘too good to turn down’

Kevin Magnussen said he had found closure with Formula One – but admitted the opportunity to return was too good to resist.

Magnussen, 29, a former team-mate of Jenson Button at McLaren, is back on the grid with Haas this season after Russian Nikita Mazepin’s contract was terminated.

Haas showed Magnussen the exit door at the end of 2020 in favour of an all-new line-up of Mazepin and Mick Schumacher.

But the American-owned team made the Danish driver their number one target when Mazepin was fired in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Mazepin and his father Dmitry – an associate of Vladimir Putin – are facing sanctions from the European Union.

“I wasn’t thinking about Formula One and I had truly accepted it was a closed chapter,” said Magnussen, who made 79 appearances across four seasons with Haas.

“When I saw that Mazepin was out of Haas, I didn’t think I had a chance, but then [Haas team principal] Guenther [Steiner] called me and it was a big surprise.

“I said’ yes’ immediately then afterwards I thought about it. I had some thoughts about what if we are going to run at the back again, and whether that would be fun or not.

“But with the regulation changes there are going to be some opportunities that things will be better and that opportunity was too good to turn down.

“I am still only 29 and if you get the opportunity you should always grab it and seize the moment.”

Speaking on Wednesday, Mazepin said he felt let down by the lack of support at Haas and did not rule out suing the team.

“We had to see what happened with the war situation and we came to the conclusion that not a lot would change and we had to make the change,” said Steiner.

“People put pressure on to you, too, but understandable pressure because of the affiliation.

“You are always trying to make the right decision for the company, for your partners, and what we want to do as a team, too.”