KEVIN Magnussen has been an F1 fixture since debuting with a podium finish in 2014.
During his career he’s driven for McLaren, Renault, and Haas. Here’s what we know about the Danish driver’s career and family life.
Who is Kevin Magnussen?
Kevin Magnussen is a Danish Formula One racing car driver, who drives for the Haas F1 Team.
He is the son of former F1 driver, Jan Magnussen.
Kevin followed in his father’s footsteps and started his career through the McLaren Formula One team’s Young Driver Programme.
He drove for McClaren for the first time in the 2014 Formula One World Championship, eventually finishing second after a disqualification.
This made him the first debutant to podium finish since Jacques Villeneuve in 1996.
He then moved to Renault for one season in 2016.
Magnussen then switched to Haas, driving for them from 2017 to 2020, before being dropped and replaced by rookies Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher.
Russian driver Mazepin’s contract was terminated following Russia’s attack on Ukraine, and Magnussen was brought back in to fill his seat, signing a multi-year deal.
In 2022, Magnussen was responsible for Haas’ first-ever F1 pole position for the short sprint race at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
At the Mexican Grand Prix in October 2023, Kevin’s car burst into flames, causing the race to be suspended.
The incident came after a suspected suspension failure, which caused Magnussen to lose control and collide with the wall.
He walked to the medical car to be taken for standard procedure checks.
Haas F1 team said: “An update on Kevin: He’s at the medical centre and after a check-over is ok, but is being kept a little while longer just for observations.”
What age is Kevin Magnussen?
Magnussen was born on October 5, 1992, in the city of Roskilde, Denmark, meaning he celebrated his 31st birthday in 2023.
He is the son of four-time Le Mans winner and former Formula One driver Jan Magnussen, who was born in 1973.
His mother, Britt Petersen was born in 1975 — little is known about her.
Magnussen has two half-siblings, from his father Jan and his second wife, Christina.
Luca was born in 2009, with Millie arriving in 2011.
Kevin’s cousin Dennis Lind, born in 1993, is also a racecar driver.
Dennis competes in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, driving for JP Motorsports.
As teenagers, the cousins competed together, with Dennis coming in second behind Kevin in the 2008 Formula Ford Danish Championship.
Is Kevin Magnussen married and does he have any children?
Magnussen is married to Louise Gjørup.
He revealed that he had proposed to Louise after the Mexico Grand Prix in October 2018.
The pair tied the knot on October 10, 2019, in a private ceremony in their home country of Denmark.
The new bride posted photos of the wedding day on Instagram, with her 18,600 followers: “One month with the most important, loving, caring and absolutely perfect husband! Love you.”
Kevin and Louise have two daughters together.
Their first child, Laura, was born prematurely on January 11, 2021.
Louise posted the news on Instagram, writing: “The day my entire world changed forever you are our tiny little miracle!”
“You gave your mom and dad a big shock by coming 7 weeks earlier than expected.
“But ever since you came into this world we have loved you,”
The couple’s second baby was born in August 2023.
Kevin shared the news with his 1.2 million Instagram followers: “Laura is now a big sister. Welcome to the world Agnes. We love you so much”.
What is Kevin Magnussen’s net worth?
Magnussen’s net worth is estimated at $30million (£24.5m).
He earns a yearly salary of $6million (£5m) from Haas.
Kevin’s team, Haas, is worth $780million (£640m).
Also on the Haas team is German driver Nico Hulkenberg.