Magnussen rues timing of Ferrari chance

Mark Scott
Kevin-Magnussen-frustrated-PA

Kevin-Magnussen-frustrated-PA

Kevin Magnussen has been left pondering whether things could have turned out differently if the timings were better over an available Ferrari seat.

An opportunity to race for the Scuderia in 2021 became open after the announcement that Sebastian Vettel would be leaving the team at the end of the 2020 campaign.

But Ferrari already had a replacement in mind with Carlos Sainz, who enjoyed an impressive first season with McLaren in 2019, and unveiled him as Vettel’s replacement within a couple of days.

Magnussen said that Sainz’s imminent switch to Ferrari shows just how important a factor timing is when it comes to making such decisions.

He felt that he could have been on Ferrari’s radar more had the opportunity arisen after he helped play a part in in taking Haas to the lofty heights of a P5 finish in the Constructors’ Championship.

“I haven’t hidden that I would have liked that seat,” Magnussen told Ekstra Bladet newspaper.

“It’s a lot to do with timing. Sainz had a really good year last year and broke through. Had it been after 2018, it could have been that I was more visible in the races.

“Although I personally felt that I was having a good season, it’s difficult for others to see that. So it is clear that Ferrari is going with the safe choice.”

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As for whether Magnussen will continue his Formula 1 career with Haas in 2021, he said resolving his future has not been of paramount importance over the last few months.

“Right now they’ve been insanely focused on just getting through this crisis,” he added.

“There is no need to talk about the future yet. We haven’t even raced.

“The important thing is not who is going to drive the cars, first the cars just need to drive.”

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