Kevin Magnussen

The son of former McLaren Formula One driver Jan Magnussen makes his Formula One debut in the 2014 season. He started his racing career in karting and quickly moved onto more powerful single seaters.
After early success in Danish Formula Ford he was soon competing and winning in Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula 3 before competing in the Formula Renualt 3.5 series and winning the championship in his second year.

As a product of the same driver development program that brought us Lewis Hamilton as well as a strong racing pedigree, Magnussen has become accustomed to winning at all levels of the junior motorsport ranks and will want to continue his success when he makes his debut in March.

 

[Hamberg]

I think he cut up Sutil because he's a wanker, which shows great skill in my opinion.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

I think Hamilton's season was really something special that we will probably never see again, people have expected too much from Magnussen IMO. He definitely isn't the finished article, but isn't that what being a rookie is all about. He's doing ok compared with Button for now. I think by the time next year comes around he might be capable of beating him over the course of a full season.

 

[Rutherford]

I think Hamilton's season was really something special

Not that special considering he had plenty of test mileage and off-track preparation, same applies to Vettel. Magnussen and other young drivers these days don't have the advantage of spending hundreds of hours of testing on a real track.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Even taking into account the testing and other benefits Hamilton enjoyed, he still beat the reigning double world champion Alonso, who many consider to be the best F1 driver over the last few years.

Magnussen on the other hand is being beaten by Button, who I myself consider a worse driver than Alonso. Magnussen is still doing enough, but I feel that if you gave any driver the preparation Hamilton had they'd struggle to beat Alonso, rookie or not.

 

[The Artist.....]

Magnussen on the other hand is being beaten by Button, who I myself consider a worse driver than Alonso. Magnussen is still doing enough, but I feel that if you gave any driver the preparation Hamilton had they'd struggle to beat Alonso, rookie or not.

And Magnussen actually had the benefit that the rules were significantly changed this year, meaning it was a much more level playing field at the start of the season! Hamilton did benefit to some extent from the change of tyres, but this was probably less significant!

 

[Mephistopheles]

The fact is Kmag was hyped up as the next Hamilton and he isn't that's what happens when you expect to much of someone they will always fall short.

 

[RasputinLives]

When its said 'thats what happens when people get hyped up' I think people need to realise they might be the ones that have been behind the hype.

Kevin Magnusen has never compared himself to Lewis Hamilton.

Mclaren have never compared Kevin Magnusen to Lewis Hamilton.

Where is Kevin Magnusen compared to Lewis Hamilton? Internet forums. Usually by people who are anxious to prove he's not as good as Lewis Hamilton.

KMag came in as a junior champion to a midfield car with a world champion team mate and has had a pretty solid start. If he was driving a Force India people would be saying how well he was doing. But he's not, he's driving a Mclaren so he gets hit with the Lewis Hamilton stick by one lot and the 'you'll never be as good as Jenson' stick by the other.

Poor kid.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Actually I believe the people who did the hyping were the ones that either believed he could or just wanted him to beat Button as for myself I had no thoughts on KMags abilities as I had never seen him drive before all I knew of him was that he was Jan's son.

Edit.

I have just been reading some of the news articles from before the season started and they gave Kevin only two options, he was either going to be the next Lewis Hamilton or he is just overrated...

Well that's the press for ya....

 

[Mephistopheles]

Being beaten by a world champion in your rookie year is nothing to be ashamed of...

 

[RasputinLives]

Also of you read back through this thread there is only one post in the positive comparing him to Lewis Hamilton where as all the rest are saying he's not as good as him.

Personally I think a lot of people made their minds up what they were going to think of KMag before the season even started.

Can you really say he's done much worst than Kvyat? Don't think so. Yet Kvyat is being touted to replace Vettel and Magnusen is over hyped.

To quote the Simpsons - its just a popularity contest with you people

 

[cider_and_toast]

The list of drivers to score a podium at their debut GP isn't exactly massive is it.

 

[FB]

I didn't have a clue how Magnussen was going to perform prior to the start of the season and, apart from his podium in Oz, he's been a bit underwhelming. Good over a single lap in qualifying but his race craft is a bit ropey. I think it's a little unfair to compare him to Kvyat who is driving a Toro Rosso whilst KMag is is driving for one of the best funded teams on the grid, albeit in rather below par car.

In summary, not showing to be a world beater but not embarrassed either. I hope he gets a second season to prove what he can achieve and McLaren build a decent chassis to fit the Honda motor to.

 

[The Artist.....]

I think Ron Dennis was proclaiming Magnussen as the next Messiah after Australia, when he was very keen to let everyone know that it was his decision to sign him!

 

[teabagyokel]

Rookie Rating

Kvyat is behind Jean-Eric Vergne in the Championship. But then again so was Ricciardo.

Magnussen has married a couple of very good performances with inconsistency and running into the second Ferrari on numerous occasions, and being behind Button in the Championship. But then again so did Hamilton.

Ericsson is in a god-awful car that keeps falling off the road, and won't get a point in two years at this team. But then again, Graham Hill.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Magnussen is really endearing himself to the boss with his tenacious driving. He's racking up penalties but earning respect from the team. One wonders if the quite public support is rubbing Charlie and the boys the wrong way though. And I suspect that if the Monza incident hadn't so closely followed behind Spa, it would have gone largely unnoticed.

Really a shame for Kevin as he's lost a nice clutch of points recently.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Hopefully he will learn that points win prizes. Perez was similar in his first year and look how he has matured.

 

[Olivier]

He'll be back!

Kevin Magnussen (@KevinMagnussen)
2014-12-11, 6:03 AM
No caption needed... #NeverGiveUpOnTheDream pic.twitter.com/L8O6rwD2RY

 

[RasputinLives]

Stepping out for a year after a rookie season worked out alright for Alonso and Hakkenien

 

[Incubus]

Hakkinen sat out his third year in F1, not his second. And he rejoined with three races to go.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Different circumstances for Mika as well. He was signed because Senna was giving it the "will he won't he" and he eventually got his chance in a race seat when McLaren decided that Michael Andretti was starting to get the hang of it and should therefore be sacked immediately.