MAGNUSSEN DOESN’T HAVE “MUCH INTEREST” IN RETURNING TO FORMULA 1

Kevin Magnussen, which was announced on Monday as part of the Peugeot WEC 2022 lineup, was responding to comments from former boss Gunther Steiner.

Kevin Magnussen has declared he will not consider taking on the role of a Formula 1 supersub this year.

Magnussen had been entrenched in the Formula 1 scene since debuting for McLaren in 2014.

After spending the past four years at Haas, both he and veteran team-mate Romain Grosjean made way for 2021 rookies Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin.

Haas boss Guenther Steiner has publicly stated his openness to having either Magnussen or Grosjean return for a cameo if the situation necessitated a fill-in; a number of drivers last year had to sit out briefly due to positive COVID-19 tests.

German veteran Nico Hulkenberg became the paddock’s leading substitute driver – and his old adversary Magnussen is not about to challenge him for the role, having just picked up a World Endurance Championship drive with Peugeot.

“Guenther is a good friend, as are many people in the Haas F1 team, but any talk about racing, like a one-off race, I don’t have much interest in that,” he said.

“I like to be fully focused on what I am doing and I miss winning. I’ve done seven years of F1, [so] doing one more race I don’t think is that interesting.”

The 28-year-old, who took a podium on F1 debut at the 2014 Australian Grand Prix, was philosophical about his chances of ever returning.

“If Mercedes came and asked me if I wanted to drive, I think everyone would look at that very seriously,” he said.

“[But] I have given F1 a very fair shot; I think I have done my best to try to be successful.

“I’ve done it and feel like I’m ready to go and win some stuff again – that’s really where I’m at.”

Magnussen’s WEC programme will complement his 2021 efforts in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Chip Ganassi Racing.

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