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RACING

Danish F1 driver searching for a new team

Danish F1 driver Kevin Magnussen is weighing his options as his career with McLaren-Honda appears to be finished.

Published: 9 October 2015 12:53 CEST
Danish F1 driver searching for a new team
Kevin Magnussen is on his way out of McLaren-Honda after six years in the team. Photo: McLaren-Honda
Kevin Magnussen's future as a racing driver remains uncertain after being dropped by McLaren last month. The 23-year-old Dane revealed to BT this week that he is in talks with several other F1 teams and is considering other motorsport options. 
 
“I am in contact with several interesting teams both inside and outside of Formula 1,” Magnussen said.
 
The driver didn’t revealed any names but some rumours have pointed toward Magnussen taking the wheel for Haas, a new team that will join F1 in 2016.
 
“It's been widely reported I'm in Haas's thoughts. In fact Gene [Hass, the founder and president of Hass Automation, ed.] has admitted that in recent interviews. […] So, yes, if there's no McLaren race drive available for me, then of course I'd love to race for Haas,” he told Autosport.com last month.
 
 
Magnussen's decision to leave McLaren came after racing director Eric Boullier opted for drivers Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso. Magnussen is still bound by his contract as a reserve driver for McLaren but that deal expires at the end of the season and McLaren has said it won't interfere with the young Dane finding a new home. 
 

“Of course I hope to have something in place soon, but right now I just have to be patient,” Magnussen told BT, which speculated that if Magnussen doesn't find a F1 team, he could be considering the IndyCar circuit, Le Mans, DTM in Germany or the Formula E series.

Magnussen is currently recovering from a fracture in his hand that he suffered in a cycling accident.

 

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FORMULA ONE

Italy’s Ferrari chases Formula One title with new 2018 racing car

Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen insisted the new halo on Ferrari's 2018 car would not hinder performance as the Italian stable chases a first Formula One title in a decade.

Published: 23 February 2018 16:22 CET
Italy's Ferrari chases Formula One title with new 2018 racing car
Ferrari's new SF71H. Photo: Ferrari press office/AFP

The halo-fitted SF71H was presented at the team's headquarters in Maranello, four days before the start of pre-season testing at Barcelona.

For the fourth consecutive year 38-year-old Raikkonen and four-time world champion Vettel, 30, will spearhead the Scuderia's campaign.

“The halo looks different but to be honest we tried it last year and it wasn't a big difference,” Raikkonen said.

Vettel added: “I don't think the halo will bother, I think it's much less intrusive than I thought. We will all get used to using it.”

The Ferrari drivers' approach to the halo was in stark contrast to that of Tito Wolff, the team boss of bitter rivals and defending world champions Mercedes who earlier in the day said he couldn't stand the sight of the controversial head protection device.

“I'm not impressed with the whole thing and if you give me a chainsaw I would take it off,” said Wolf, who complained about the weight of the new device, at his team's official launch.

“I think we need to look after the driver's safety, but what we have implemented is aesthetically not appealing and we need to come up with a solution that simply looks better.”

Ferrari's new car is painted in the traditional red livery, but unlike its predecessors with very little white.

“[The car] looks nice and usually when it looks nice, there's speed also,” added Raikkonen.

“Our goal is to always be faster. The car is excellent and next week we will know something more and we will understand how much work there is still to do,” added the Finn.

The new challenger has a longer wheelbase to move it more into line with rival Mercedes' design.

“We have kept the aggressive concepts. The SF71H has a tighter car body and has been built to perform in high-speed circuits,” said Ferrari's technical director, Mattia Binotto.

Ferrari were second in the 2017 championship and this season will bid to challenge four-time holders Mercedes.

“We're capable, I'm certain,” said team principal Maurizio Arrivabene.

Ferrari have not won the constructors' title since 2008, with Raikkonen last winning the drivers title for Ferrari in 2007.

READ ALSO: For first time in 30 years, Italy's Alfa Romeo will return to Formula 1

All photos: Ferrari press office via AFP.