Magnussen happier since returning to F1: 'It's not as important anymore'

Kevin Magnussen himself may have been the last person to think a return to Formula 1 was in the cards, yet he was called by Haas after the team cut its ties with Nikita Mazepin. His time away from F1 has allowed him to return with a fresh perspective and feel better than he did before his forced departure in 2020.

In conversation with The Race he says he is much more relaxed compared to the years after his debut in the premier class of motor racing. Back then he still had a lot to prove, but he doesn't feel that pressure anymore.

Magnussen feels less pressure since returning to F1

Meanwhile, the 29-year-old Dane became a father, which he describes as "the highlight of his life. As a result, he forgot about Formula 1 for a bit and it was easier for him to accept that those days were behind him.

However, when he got the chance to return to Haas, he realized that he had missed the sport quite a bit after all. "Now that I'm back it's like I have a new set of eyes," Magnussen explains. "Formula 1 is not as important to me anymore. It’s very important, but it’s so much easier to enjoy it because it’s not so important."

He admits that he would have loved to be world champion, but that he abandoned that dream last year. These days, he doesn't really harbor expectations, but he enjoys what he does and is curious to see what the future will bring at Haas.