Kevin Magnussen wants a shot at Indy 500 glory

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Kevin Magnussen would consider a full-time switch to IndyCar after his career in F1, and the opportunity to tackle the Indy 500.

Fernando Alonso's US endeavors last year at Indi, when the two-time world champion ran competitively at the Brickyard, undoubtedly captured the attention of a few of his F1 colleagues, including Magnussen who has put the legendary race on his bucket list.

"I would love to do it," the Dane told Crash.net.

"I would never put aside Formula 1 to do it, but I would love to do it.

"It’s one of those things that I dream about at night sometimes. It’s just something that really turns me on."

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Ideally, the 25-year-old would envisage a plan which would see him secure a full-time drive in America's premier open-wheel series in order to guarantee proper preparation for the blue ribbon event.

"I wouldn’t do it at the same time as Formula 1. I wouldn’t like to do that," said Magnussen who remains utterly committed to F1 however.

"It would require full focus, and I’d like to do more than just the Indy 500. I’d like to do a full season of IndyCar if I was going to do it I think. But whether I’ll get a chance to do that, I don’t know.

"If I race here for 15 years, then would you really want to go and do that after? Maybe. Maybe not."

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Magnussen revealed that an opportunity to head to the US came about in 2015, after he was dismissed from McLaren. The woking-based outfit ultimately blocked a potential deal to race with Andretti Autosport however.

"I went to Andretti in Indianapolis, I had talks with them, and I nearly had a go. It was very, very close," he remembered.

"But things didn’t turn out as I wanted with McLaren. I didn’t really have the support that I needed from them at the time.

"They supported me very well before that, but in that moment, they didn’t do a great job, I have to admit.

"So I ended up not driving at all and having a season completely out of driving, which was a catastrophe for me, and it would be for any racing driver. So it didn’t happen."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.