Kevin Magnussen Treating Abu Dhabi GP as His Last Formula One Race

Haas driver Kevin Magnussen says he is ready to accept Sunday’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be his last Formula One race.

The 28-year-old Dane will compete next year in the North American IMSA sportscar championship with Chip Ganassi Racing, something he said he was really excited about.

“I’m pretty at peace with it,” Magnussen told reporters on Thursday in a video conference.

“I know in motorsport you should never say never, in Formula One lots of things can happen… but I’m ready to call this my last (F1) race.

“I’m going to go out and enjoy it and drive this amazing car that is so satisfying to drive, and just think back on this amazing opportunity that I’ve been given.

“It’s like growing up as a kid and dreaming about Formula One and wanting to get to Formula One and then get there and make a career out of it — it’s something that I feel really lucky and privileged to have done.”

Magnussen’s father Jan was also an F1 driver in the 1990s, although with less success than Kevin whose best result remains a second place for McLaren in Australia in 2014.

Haas have already announced Russian Nikita Mazepin and Germany’s F2 champion Mick Schumacher as an all-new lineup, replacing Magnussen and Frenchman Romain Grosjean.

Grosjean has already raced for the last time for Haas after escaping from a fiery crash in Bahrain on Nov. 29 that split the car in two, and returned home.

“I’m just looking forward to what’s going to happen now,” said Magnussen of his own future.

“In a month’s time I’m going to start looking at driving the car at Daytona. That’s how I feel at the moment. Not really sad about things, just really excited.”