Viking Kevin Magnussen Joins the League of F1 Legends Including Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen With Latest Achievement

Kevin Magnussen had a happening year in 2022. Planning for a vacation and the next thing he knows, he was back to racing in F1 the following week. It was a utopian scenario as Kevin made a Viking comeback to Haas. His performances were outstanding, and he got the praises and accolades for the same, joining an elite league of F1 drivers.

Kevin Magnussen won the Lorenzo Bandini award for his amazing 2022 performances. While Kevin is the latest recipient of the award, many drivers on the grid have won it in the past. Lewis Hamilton won it back in 2010 for his 2009 performances. Besides, Max Verstappen won it in 2016 for his breakthrough rookie season in 2015.

Started in 1992, the award is named after the Italian racer Lorenzo Bandini who died 3 days post his 1967 Monaco GP accident when he endured severe burns. They awarded it for ‘commendable performances in motorsport’.

After receiving the award in Italy on December 3, Kevin said, “I’m very honored to receive the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy, a local hero who enjoyed very good results with Ferrari.

And when I think of all the great champions that have received this award in the past, it’s hard to understand why it was given to me.”

While Kevin scored just 25 points in the season, he also took a stunning pole position in Brazil. Under changeable conditions, the Dane held his nerve to produce Haas‘s moment of the year.

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Magnussen has become a part of the elite F1 drivers like Hamilton and Verstappen after receiving this award. There have been several F1 world champions and race winners, taking this accolade home.

Kevin Magnussen joins the Rich F1 history of the Lorenzo Bandini Award

Lorenzo Bandini has been one of the well-known Italian drivers in motorsport. He was a dynamic driver in all forms of motorsport. He drove for Ferrari in F1 and was also a Le Mans winner. His wife Margherita initiated this award in 1992 for honoring his legacy in motorsport.

Following is the list of the notable Lorenzo Bandini trophy winners:

• Jenson Button – 2001
• Michael Schumacher – 2003
• Kimi Raikkonen – 2004
• Fernando Alonso – 2005
• Mark Webber – 2006
• Sebastian Vettel – 2009
• Lewis Hamilton – 2010
• Nico Rosberg – 2011

• Daniel Ricciardo – 2014
• Mercedes AMG – 2015 – For the V6 engine innovation with the Turbo-Hybrid system
• Max Verstappen – 2016
• Scuderia Ferrari – 2017 – For 70 years of its establishment
• Valtteri Bottas – 2018
• Antonio Giovinazzi – 2019
• Charles Leclerc – 2021

While each of one these winners won their award for their previous year’s performances, Leclerc won it for his 2019 performances. It is an amazing honor for Kevin Magnussen to become part of this elite league of drivers.

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Haas will be delighted to start their 2023 campaign in a similar fashion with Magnussen as this year. Whether he can repeat his heroics with consistency will be a thing to watch out for next season.