It is too early to panic, but I am frankly uneasy for Kevin Magnussens Formula 1 in the future.
No one knows when the Formula 1 WORLD championship will be back again soon. But I have no doubt that the sport at the time would be significantly different than the ’old Formula 1’ we have known until now.
Then sat Kevin Magnussen safely in the field. Driving on the track was the main criterion, since the 20 seats had to be filled, and so was lightning fast, aggressive and experienced Magnussen almost obvious.
Now, I fear, that factors other than the skill behind the wheel comes into play, when 2021-the seats need to be filled.
Let’s look at the current field with the 2021 glasses.
Contest-winners Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas, Sebastian Vettel, Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo is solely on the basis of their results, ensuring a place in 2021-the – Verstappen and Leclerc have already written contract.
Esteban Ocoña, Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll has 2021-contract with their current teams, and Williams has hardly afford to drop Nicholas Latifi. Carlos Sainz jr. following its strong 2019-season, sought after, and are also sure of a 2021-seat.
Alexander Albon, Pierre Gasly, Lando Norris and George Russell’s through their youth programs with Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes are likely guaranteed spots.
So, there are five drivers who all have his contract after this season: Daniil Kvyat, Kimi Räikkönen, Antonio Giovinazzi, Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen.
But 2021-solitaire game does not stop here. There are a handful of strong, young talent on the way from the Formula 2.
Guanyu Zhou, Marcus Armstrong, Robert Shwarzman, Mick Schumacher (mostly because of the surname), Nikita Mazepin (solely on the grounds of the family’s money) and the Danish Christian Lundgaard dream all more or less realistic dreams of a place in the Formula 1 field 2021.
It provides (at least) 26 potential drivers for the 20 seats.
If there are 20 seats in 2021-the field. I’m far from sure, all the teams survive coronakrisen. I can easily imagine that the couple of pieces falling off, and it will only make the fight a 2021-the seats even more unforgiving.
And in the new Formula 1 is kørertalent hardly enough. Many of the teams that survive coronakrisen, will be financially pressed.
They will be forced to weigh a driver’s talent up against, how many sponsors he has, and what market he represents in relation to existing sponsors.
It is in the game, I fear Kevin Magnussen will be in a weak position. The only sponsor he has drawn to the Haas team, a matter, Bestseller, have it hard in these weeks and is not necessarily on the bandwagon again in 2021.
Until now, Bestseller has not been crucial for Magnussens place in the Formula 1. But it may be different in Formula 1 after coronakrisen
And Kevin Magnussens domestic market compared to drivers from for example Russia and China? Virtually non-existent.
It is too early to panic about Kevin Magnussens Formula 1 in the future. But it is time with any of it, one in business call due diligence.
the Battle for the 2021-the seats are in time. I hope Kevin Magnussens hinterland is aware of.
Peter R.
B. T.’s Formula 1 correspondent. Educated cand. jur. in 1987, but has since worked in Formula 1 as a journalist. Every year, for all the Formula 1 races. A member of the Club 500 for the journalists who have attended more than 500 Formula 1 races. Holder of the Grand Prix Photo
