By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief
Haas F1 Team announced that it has signed Kevin Magnussen to replace Esteban Gutierrez in a multi-year deal beginning with the 2017 season.
The 24-year-old Dane leaves Renault Sport F1 Team and will team with Romain Grosjean, who returns to Haas for a second consecutive year.
“This is a fantastic opportunity and I’m very happy to be a part of Haas F1 Team,” Magnussen said.
“Obviously, I’m confident in my abilities as a Formula One driver, but I’m also very confident of what Haas F1 Team can do in its second season and every season thereafter.
“Gene Haas (team owner) has come into Formula One with a strong vision and a different way of doing things. He’s making it work and work well. I’ve had a good vantage point all season long, and I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel of next year’s Haas VF-17.”
The former McLaren driver turned down the chance to return to Renault, which has since set its team for next year with Nico Hulkenberg and Jolyon Palmer, and Haas admitted Magnussen was on his “short list.”
“From the time we began looking at drivers, Kevin Magnussen was always on our short list,” Haas said.
“He’s accomplished a lot in a very short period of time, and we feel like he can accomplish a lot with us. Our second season will bring a new set of challenges, and we feel that pairing Kevin with Romain will help us develop our new car and continue our growth.
“I want to thank Esteban Gutiérrez for all of his efforts. He’s been an instrumental part of our first year in Formula One and we’re looking forward to finishing the season strong with him and Romain.”
