F1 | Magnussen: “Regrets for coming back? Absolutely not!”

Kevin Magnussen has reiterated he has no regrets about his “wild” and “exciting” return to Formula 1 as he nears the end of his time with Haas.

The Dane was dropped by the team at the end of the 2020 season and moved on to sportscar racing with Chip Ganassi, only for fate to grant him a reprieve in F1.

With the Russian invasion of Ukraine spelling the end for Nikita Mazepin at Haas, then-team principal Guenther Steiner turned to Magnussen to fill the vacancy at short notice ahead of the 2022 campaign.

Since then, the former McLaren and Renault driver has taken his first pole position – albeit on Friday, in the sprint Brazilian Grand Prix – although, with his performances declining this season, he will end his time with the team at the end of the year.

Asked by Motorsport.com in an exclusive interview whether he regretted returning to F1, Magnussen replied: “No, no, no, honestly no.”

“I don’t regret it. It was fun and it’s fun to try something so unexpected. It’s been a wild ride, because I closed that chapter, completely, mentally, had a son and started the next phase of my life with my wife and family.”

“Then – boom – I came back again, and this whole experience was really exciting for me and my family.”

Magnussen’s first weekend back saw him rush into the race with a lack of pre-season testing under his belt, but he managed to secure a fifth-place finish that underlined his skill level.

Regarding his feelings over the weekend, he explained: “I was sitting on a beach with a drink in my hand, completely unfamiliar with Formula 1 and then suddenly in a panic.”

“From the beach to the airport, bam, bam, bam, and then I was in the paddock, sunburned, completely out of my mind. The whole transition was crazy and exciting.”

While Magnussen impressed alongside Mick Schumacher in his first year back, the return of Nico Hulkenberg overshadowed his results last year and that form has continued into the current campaign.

“It’s to be expected when you come into Formula 1,” Magnussen said of the tough times. “When I came back I was already an experienced Formula 1 driver and I knew what I was getting into.”

“Nothing was a surprise, so I knew. I knew there were going to be challenges and I knew it wasn’t going to be smooth sailing and there was going to be a honeymoon phase and then, you know… I had all of that figured out. It’s all part of it.”