Kevin Magnussen recalled how he previously said no to Red Bull boss Christian Horner, a no which based on F1 history, perhaps cost him a Red Bull seat.

Magnussen bid farewell to Formula 1 for a third time after the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, that his final race with Haas after the team opted for Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman as their new line-up from F1 2025. But, did Magnussen once cost himself the chance to race for Red Bull?

Kevin Magnussen opens up on Ferrari and Red Bull scenarios

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Magnussen was a regular points scorer in 2018 with Haas, a pair of P5s his best result, and that form, he said, attracted the interest of Ferrari, that was until Charles Leclerc – who was ultimately promoted from Sauber to Ferrari for 2019 – upped his game.

An opening would emerge at Red Bull though as Daniel Ricciardo made the shock call to join Renault, Magnussen wasting no time in registering his interest in the seat. Red Bull boss Christian Horner was not down with that plan, but a Toro Rosso seat he was willing to entertain. Magnussen was not.

And that, the Danish racer admits, was perhaps an error of judgement considering how Red Bull’s driver pool evolved from there.

Speaking with Autosport, Magnussen said: “In 2018, we had a really good car in the first half of the year. Charles had just arrived in F1 with Sauber. And the start of his first season wasn’t great. And mine was really good! And then suddenly Ferrari was reaching out.

“Suddenly I was driving in their simulator, not for Haas, but for Ferrari. They were sniffing around. And I thought, okay… I was already getting excited about where this was going. But then Charles started to really kill it! And I heard nothing.

“I don’t know how close it got. But I think if Charles had not started to perform, if he had had a sh*tty season all year long, I think I would have been one of the drivers they would have looked at. Sometimes you feel like you are getting close, but still not that close. That’s the way it goes.

“After that season, Daniel left Red Bull, and I remember my management speaking to Christian Horner, because of course everyone was talking about the Red Bull seat.

“And Christian said, ‘Look, there’s nothing at Red Bull, but we can talk about Toro Rosso’. And I said, ‘No, no, let’s not do that,’ which I probably should have done.

“It was [Pierre] Gasly who took that [Red Bull] seat. [Alex] Albon was promoted from F2 to Toro Rosso, and then Gasly didn’t do a good job – and Albon came in! So, you know, the guy who got that Toro Rosso seat ended up at Red Bull.”

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Magnussen signed off in his final race with Haas – and perhaps in Formula 1 – with the fastest lap, a positive finish after a sluggish pit-stop and whack from fellow F1 departee Valtteri Bottas at Turn 6 meant he was classified P16.

“It’s easy when you’re the only one on new tyres, low fuel,” said Magnussen on that fastest lap when addressing the media, including PlanetF1.com, post-race.

“The enjoyable part was Lap 1. I knew I wanted to try something special and just go balls to the wall and try to make up for the qualifying. And I did. I came around P7 from P14.

“Just unfortunate with the slow pit-stop, which kind of ruined the race, and then afterwards, of course, the contact with Bottas.

“But yeah, gave it a go, tried our best, nothing to show for it. But still, been a privilege to come back to Formula 1 and these last three years have been a real challenge, but a real privilege as well. And very thankful, very excited for the future and wish the team all the best.”

BMW awaits in Magnussen’s future, the 32-year-old having penned a deal with the manufacturer which will see him compete in the World Endurance Championship or IMSA SportsCar Championship.

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