“Ferrari Is Going With the Safe Choice” – Kevin Magnussen Highlights the Importance of Timing in F1

In a recent interview with Ekstra Bladet, Haas F1 driver Kevin Magnussen spoke out regarding the impact of the timing on his would-have-been Ferrari seat. “I haven’t hidden that I would like that seat.  It’s a lot to do with timing. Sainz had a really good year last year and broke through. “

The Danish driver talked about his aspiration to race for Ferrari which instead worked out in the favour of Carlos Sainz. Despite having also raced for McLaren before, he said Sainz had the better season of the two. As a result of which, he became the replacement for Sebastian Vettel, at Ferrari.

Ferrari’s surprise move

The Italian team’s decision to get in McLaren driver Carlos Sainz for the 2021 season initially came as a bombshell. To replace a 4 times world champion with a driver who only a single podium finish to his name was at first a questionable decision. However, based on further analyses by veterans and current drivers such as Magnussen himself, the move was quite justified.

“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.”  added the Haas driver. In other words, respectfully accepting the reason for not getting into Ferrari.

Meanwhile, Ferrari also has completely different plans. Their main aim is to bring second fiddle to the already established Charles Leclerc. Through this, they can subsequently develop a synergic duo, something that was evidently lacking for the most part. This is something that they possibly felt was of Sainz’s potential based on his 2019 performance.

However, for Magnussen at the moment, he is just focussed on the current season. He and his team are currently only looking at ways to get through their current crisis.

 “I’m not unrealistic either. I see things as they are. I rest in myself and know that I could lift the task. But I don’t sit there and think about it when it doesn’t go my way. I just have to keep the clampdown and keep believing it. Do what I know I can. At some point, the chance comes or it doesn’t…” he concluded.