Formula 1 insiders once regarded 31-year-old driver with no race wins as ‘future megastar’

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The hype around young drivers in Formula 1 has always been difficult to deal with and Kevin Magnussen is no stranger to this as he was considered the next big megastar when he entered the sport.

Now racing for Haas, Kevin Magnussen broke through the ranks at McLaren but his time with the British-based team didn’t quite go to plan.

Writing for Motorsport Magazine, journalist Matt Bishop provided more details on the Dane’s rise through the ranks before reaching F1.

When there are only 20 spots on the grid, you have to be the standout driver in your age group to earn your place.

Going into the 2024 season, not a single rookie has managed to find a place in the paddock, with Theo Pourchaire the latest Formula 2 champion to be left frustrated by the lack of opportunities.

There are some exciting youngsters working their way up to F1 right now, with Ollie Bearman tipped for a spot on the grid in the future and high hopes at Mercedes for Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

However, Kevin Magnussen was considered a future megastar by many within Formula 1 as he was given his opportunity by McLaren.

He teamed up with Jenson Button after winning Formula Renault 3.5 in 2013, but he was only given a single season with the team before being replaced by a certain Fernando Alonso.

McLaren struggled that year, with the pair finishing on the podium at the season opener in Australia before failing to trouble the front three again for the rest of the year.

Magnussen was considered a future megastar by Formula 1 insiders

The report from Motorsport Magazine suggests that many within F1 regarded the 31-year-old as a ‘future megastar’.

Within every junior championship Magnussen raced in, he was challenging for the title despite having virtually no experience heading into that season.

The level between Formula Renault and Formula 1 is massive, as it still is today between F2 or even IndyCar and F1.

Magnussen didn’t do too badly in his debut campaign for McLaren but once he was dropped for the 2015 season, it was always going to be difficult for him to find a place at a top team.

A single season with Renault didn’t quite go to plan, but he’s found a home at Haas.

While Magnussen hasn’t lived up to his megastar reputation in Formula 1, he’s still produced some moments of brilliance.

He doesn’t have a race win to his name, but his pole position in Brazil in 2022 was a special day for him and the team.

The American team’s poor performance in 2023 would have frustrated him, but 2024 could be the year that they lift themselves off the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship.