Although the F1 winter break is properly underway, Haas driver Kevin Magnussen will likely be again behind the wheel of a racing automobile this weekend as he takes on the Gulf 12 Hours endurance occasion with father Jan.
Kevin and Jan are set to share a MDK Motorsports-run Ferrari 488 GT3 within the December September 11 encounter, which takes place on the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi – the identical venue as final month’s F1 season finale.
Jan raced in F1 throughout the Nineteen Nineties, representing McLaren and Stewart and scoring a degree with the latter, earlier than happening to forge a profitable sports activities automobile profession, claiming 4 24 Hours of Le Mans class victories and a category win on the 24 Hours of Daytona.
READ MORE: ‘We’re seeing the rewards’ – Brawn hails positive impact of F1’s 2022 rule changes
Kevin has additionally dabbled in sports activities automobile racing, beforehand testing for the Porsche World Endurance Championship (WEC) effort, contesting the US-based IMSA SportsCar Championship and signing to race with Peugeot within the WEC earlier than his shock F1 comeback with Haas in 2022.
Having raced collectively on the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans – the place they completed twenty ninth total and seventeenth within the LMP2 class with an Oreca 07-Gibson – the Magnussens will hit the observe once more within the Middle East, with Kevin relishing the chance.
“We’re going to get a few laps in the car before going to Abu Dhabi with it. But, of course, it’s something that I’m really excited about,” stated 30-year-old Kevin, 19 years youthful than father Jan.
“Racing with my dad is all the time one thing that I take pleasure in loads. It’s such a particular factor that we’re nonetheless each energetic racing drivers on the identical time. He’s not that outdated, so I really feel like I’ve to seize the chance, as a lot as I can, whereas he’s nonetheless in fine condition and quick.
“It’s the first time that we’re going to drive in a GT car together and I think he’s going to be pretty hard to beat in that one, but we’ll see!”
Kevin isn’t the one son of an ex-F1 driver on the present grid, with reigning two-time champion Max Verstappen following within the footsteps of father Jos, who competed for the likes of Benetton, Tyrrell and Minardi from the mid-Nineteen Nineties to mid-2000s.
Given that Jos additionally tried his hand at GT racing after F1, Max was requested concerning the prospect of becoming a member of the Magnussens as a father-son racing duo sooner or later.
“I want to, but he doesn’t want to at the moment, so I need to convince him! He’s fully into rallying. I hope, of course, in the coming years, we can do that,” stated Max.
REVEALED: The move you voted as the best overtake of the 2022 F1 season
To hear extra about Jan Magnussen’s life earlier than, throughout and after F1, take heed to his latest look on the Beyond The Grid podcast.