Kevin Magnussen could make a SHOCK return to Formula One
Danish driver Kevin Magnussen ‘could make a SHOCK return to Formula One after just one season following his retirement announcement’… as Haas search for a replacement for Russian racer Nikita Mazepin
- Kevin Magnussen could come out of retirement to race for Haas in Formula One
- The Danish driver is among three alternatives to replace Russian Nikita Mazepin
- Mazepin contract was terminated by Haas due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
- Reserve Pietro Fittipaldi and Antonio Giovinazzi are among other alternatives
Kevin Magnussen looks set to potentially make a shock comeback to Formula One, as the Danish driver is a surprise inclusion on the Haas’ short list to replace Nikita Mazepin.
The 29-year-old raced for Haas for four seasons and scored 96 points during that time before calling it quits.
But he could now be back in action for the start of the new campaign, as he is among three alternatives for the axed Mazepin, according to Danish publication Ekstra Bladet.
Kevin Magnussen could be set to make a shock return to Formula One after retiring from the sport
The 29-year-old is among three alternatives for Haas to replace axed driver Nikita Mazepin
Magnussen’s career started so brightly with a career-best second-place finish for McLaren at the 2014 Australian Grand Prix.
He would finish in the points 11 more times that season but was demoted to reserve driver in 2015 when he was replaced by two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, who joined from Ferrari.
Magnussen then spent 2016 at a struggling Renault team only scoring seven points before moving to Haas in 2017.
His best season at the American outfit came in 2018 where he scored 56 points on his way to finishing ninth in the championship.
The Dane then struggled in his final two seasons, before being dropped by Haas, which led to his retirement – although he didn’t give up racing as he swapped the F1 tracks to compete in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2021.
He finished the season in the seventh place, but now could get his second shot in F1, as Haas have terminated the contract of Nikita Mazepin and the sponsorship of Russian fertilizer group Uralkali as a result of the invasion of Ukraine on Saturday.
Haas terminated the contract of Nikita Mazepin and the sponsorship of Russian fertilizer group Uralkali
His father Dmitry Mazepin (pictured) is a part-owner of Haas’s former title sponsor and they removed Uralkali’s branding at testing in Barcelona
The team were helped towards their decision by Motorsport UK declaring no Russian-linked competitors would be allowed to compete in this country, making Mazepin ineligible for the British Grand Prix.
Haas believe their finances can survive the loss of Uralkali’s annual contribution of £20million.
His father Dmitry Mazepin, is a part-owner of Haas’s former title sponsor, Uralkali, and Haas removed branding of the Russian chemical company for the final day of testing in Barcelona last week.
Haas were not induced to back Mazepin despite his willingness to follow an FIA requirement, ‘to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and all those suffering as a result of the ongoing conflict’.
The decision means no Russian drivers are now signed up to race in F1 ahead of the new season.
Mazepin, 23, hit back on social media to the termination of his contract, by saying: ‘I am very disappointed. The ruling from the FIA plus my ongoing willingness to accept the conditions proposed were completely ignored, and no process was followed in this unilateral step.’
Mazepin took to social media to express his frustration and disappointment with the decision
It was impossible for Haas to ignore that Mazepin’s father, worth a reputed £5billion, had strong Putin links.
He attended a meeting with the Russian president following the invasion of Ukraine.
The sacking comes days after the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi in September, and due to be staged in Putin’s home city of St Petersburg from next year, was removed from the calendar permanently by the sport’s owners, Liberty Media.
Brazilian reserve Pietro Fittipaldi will test for Haas in Bahrain on Thursday following the departure of Mazepin, the U.S.-owned Formula One team said.
Brazilian reserve Pietro Fittipaldi will test for Haas in Bahrain on Thursday, but have yet to name Mazepin’s replacement
The team have yet to say who will race alongside German Mick Schumacher when the season starts in Bahrain on March 20.
A spokesman said on Wednesday the cars had arrived late at the Sakhir circuit on Tuesday after the air freight was delayed by a technical issue.
‘This delay will impact our programme but we are targeting being out on track for the second session Thursday afternoon with Pietro Fittipaldi driving the VF-22,’ he said, giving no further details.
Fittipaldi, the grandson of two-time world champion Emerson, stood in for Romain Grosjean at the 2020 Sakhir and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix after the Frenchmanas fiery crash.
Haas finished last in 2021 and were the only team not to score a point after focusing fully on developing their car for this year’s major rule changes.
Fittpaldi isn’t however the firm replacement as Magnussen, the Dane who Mazepin replaced in 2021 appears to be the leading candidate, along with Italian Antonio Giovinazzi.
Haas reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi (left) and Antonio Giovinazzi (right) are among the three alternatives to replace Mazepin
Giovinazzi is Ferrari’s third driver and the team tried very hard to place him with Haas in 2018 instead of Magnussen.
The 28-year-old was not retained by Alfa Romeo for the 2022 season as they opted for an all-new driver line-up in the form of Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou.
But he could be in with a shout for the vacancy despite signing up with Ferrari along with a full-time drive with Team Penske in Formula E.
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