Jun.30 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen says his team boss at Haas is being very open about the fact that talks with alternative drivers for 2026 are currently taking place.
Rookie Oliver Bearman appears definitely set to make his Formula 1 debut with the small American team next year, but Haas may also replace Magnussen – with Alpine refugee Esteban Ocon believed to be at the top of the list.
Long-time team driver Magnussen, 31, says he appreciates that new boss Ayao Komatsu is being open about the situation.
“I feel that I can trust him,” said the Dane. “He does not hide that he also talks to other drivers. He’s open about it and I appreciate that a lot because I’ve had bosses in the past who told me bullsh*t.
“So I talk to him about my own potential future team as well,” he added. “I value openness, and then we’ll see what happens.”
For his part, Komatsu confirmed that it is important to him to be “transparent” with his drivers.
“It’s the least I can do,” said the Japanese, “because he also has other offers. He needs to be able to make his decisions with the best information.”
Magnussen has had a couple of forced pauses to his long Formula 1 career in the past, but he says he is handling the prospect of life beyond the paddock with much more maturity this time around.
“If I’m not in Formula 1, I don’t feel like it’s going to be a bad life at all,” he said. “On the contrary, I feel the opposite. There is a big cost to being in Formula 1, and sometimes I question whether it is worth it.
“After ten years in the sport without quite getting there, it might be getting monotonous,” added Magnussen, hinting that he might have opportunities in other top categories like WEC or Indycar.
“Fortunately, things also happen outside of Formula 1,” he said. “I’ve been part of it a few times when I wasn’t in F1. It’s a great life, and it pulls me in a bit.”
