NEW YORK, United States, Jul 18 – The US-based Haas team have decided to drop Kevin Magnussen for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
The team’s announcement of Magnussen’s departure does not reveal who will replace him as the team-mate of Briton Oliver Bearman next season.
However, BBC Sport has been told that Esteban Ocon, who races for Alpine this season, will take the drive.
The information comes from sources close to Haas and Mercedes, who manage the Frenchman’s career.
The decision means Haas will have an all-new F1 line-up next year. Magnussen’s current team-mate Nico Hulkenberg is moving to the Sauber team as it morphs into Audi in time for the German company’s official F1 entry in 2026.
Magnussen raced for Haas from 2017 until 2020, and was re-signed before the 2022 season after they dropped the Russian Nikita Mazepin following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
His best result for the team is fifth, which he has achieved three times. His highest championship finish for them was in 2018, when he was ninth. His career best result is the second place he scored on his F1 debut for McLaren at the 2014 Australian Grand Prix.
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu said: “Kevin has truly been a bedrock of our driver line-up over the years.
“Nobody’s driven more races for us and we’ve had some memorable highlights together – not least a fifth-place finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2022 when Kevin returned to start his second spell with the team.
“He wasn’t expecting to be driving a Formula 1 car that weekend, but he put in a remarkable performance that was a tremendous boost to the entire organisation and once again showcased his own talents behind the wheel.”
Komatsu added: “I’m hoping we can find a way to keep working together in some capacity. We can hopefully define that in the near future, but his extensive experience in F1 and knowledge of our working operations are undoubtedly of value in our ongoing growth and development.”
Magnussen, whose future on the F1 grid is in doubt with only limited options still available for next season, said: “I’m proud to have raced for such a great team of people these last few years.
“In particular I’d like to thank [owner] Gene Haas for his commitment to me, notably in bringing me back once again in 2022 when I thought, at that time at least, my time in F1 had ended. I’ve enjoyed some great moments with this team – memories I’ll never forget.”
Haas have extended their engine supply agreement with Ferrari until the end of the 2028 season.
The team are also said to be in talks with car giant Toyota about a partnership from next season.
Insiders say they are negotiating a deal whereby Toyota would have brand exposure on the car in return for engineering support.
Haas would benefit from access to the Japanese company’s vast resources while Toyota would have a way of introducing its engineers and racing drivers to F1.
Haas currently has a small UK base in Banbury and engineers embedded in the Ferrari factory using its facilities, while its car is built by Italian constructor Dallara.
It is planning to move into a new factory as it seeks to improve its performance in future years. Haas and Komatsu were given a tour of the Mercedes factory in Brackley earlier this month as part of a fact-finding mission as they plan their new UK base.
Haas declined to comment on the subject of Toyota.
