DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Only a year ago at this time, Kevin Magnussen was preparing to compete in the 2024 Formula 1 season. This month, the son of sports car legend Jan Magnussen begins a season in sports cars – something he says he so genuinely looks forward to.
Magnussen will co-drive the No. 24 BMW M Team RLL Hybrid V8 competing in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class in next week’s Rolex 24 – his third start in the historic twice-around-the-clock race and first since 2022. He will compete fulltime in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) as well – and racing stateside in three IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup events at Daytona, Sebring and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
He fondly remembers coming to the IMSA races as a kid with his father, a four-time sports car champion who won nearly 50 races – the experiences stocking a lifelong love of the sports car kind.
Magnussen, who spent a decade competing in F-1, said he is looking forward to the career transition and eager to improve on a pair of fifth-place finishes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season-opener at Daytona – and his car was fastest in Friday’s two-hour afternoon practice.
In 10 previous career IMSA starts, he has a victory – from pole position – at Detroit’s Belle Isle course in 2021.
“I came here so much as a kid and grew up at these races in a way and always knew I wanted to be a part of that,” said Magnussen, 32, who said this opportunity was “absolutely” where he wanted to transition. “As a young boy you look up to your dad and want to do what he is doing. I guess for many drivers, Formula 1 is like the pinnacle which it is for me as well, but I certainly have an extra passion for sports car racing because I grew up with it.’’
“It’s more pure. … sports car racing in general, I think people love what they do more than they do in Formula One because it’s so competitive [in F1] it can be kind of cold in a way. I arrived here and see everyone smiling and looking forward to the race and everything. It’s a different vibe, different environment.’’
