Kevin Magnussen and now former teammate Nico Hulkenberg were, at least on paper, a really good deal for Haas in the 2024 season.
Haas made good money in 2024 by having Kevin Magnussen behind the wheel in Formula 1, but the team had to settle for seventh place in the constructors' championship.
A placement that secured the team around 680 million kroner in prize money. But it was and is significantly less money than the 816 million kroner that a sixth place would have given. As a result, a potential financial gain of 136 million kroner was not realized.
The position came after a season that presented several challenges for Haas, who had been aiming to finish sixth.
But technical problems and a lack of development of the car made it difficult to achieve the season goal. According to RacingNews365, a limited development budget was a significant factor that hindered the team in the competition with the stronger teams in the midfield. Such as the factory team Alpine and Aston Martin.
Kevin Magnussen, who has been part of Haas for several years, will complete his final season in Formula 1 in 2024. At the end of the season, the team announced that the Dane's contract would not be extended.
– We had some good moments, but we lacked consistency and the final touch to achieve better results, said team manager Ayao Komatsu when asked to describe the season's challenges.
Nico Hülkenberg, the team's co-driver, delivered consistent performances, but the limitations of the race car made it difficult for Haas to remain competitive throughout the season.
The result was that the team had difficulty matching its competitors at times. For a long time, there was a prospect of sixth place in the constructors' championship. But poor performances towards the end of the season cost the American team dearly.
Although 2024 marked the end of Magnussen's Formula 1 career, he is not without new opportunities and an empty calendar.
From 2025 he will be a factory driver for BMW M Motorsport, where he will participate in championships such as the IMSA SportsCar Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship, among others.
This means he will return to the world's most famous 24-hour race at the Le Mans track, Circuit de la Sarthe in France.
– I look forward to competing in some of the world's most iconic races and representing BMW at the highest level, said the Dane when the contract with BMW became public.
At the same time, Haas must decide how they can improve for the 2025 season. However, contact with Kevin Magnussen is not completely cold. A new contract has ensured that. Read more about it here .
