Magnussen returns to the winner's circle with IMSA win

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Kevin Magnussen took his first race win since 2013 in Detroit on Saturday, the Dane sharing top spoils in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar event with his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Renger van der Zande.

Magnussen and van der Zande's triumph completed a banner day for CGR, with fellow F1 veteran Marcus Ericsson snatching at Belle Isle earlier in the afternoon his first IndyCar win.

And for good measure, the winning CGR pair crossed the checkered flag just 0.573s clear of Felipe Nasr, another former F1 driver racing in the US.

Magnussen led the race in its early stages before handing over the #1 CGR Cadillac to van der Zande who conclusively finished things off, although the Dutchman was forced to pull out the stops to fend off Nasr.

"It’s really a dream," enthused Magnussen after the race. "To come out of a weekend like this with a big trophy, it’s pretty special. I’m very thankful to Chip for making this possible and giving me this opportunity.

"This weekend has been extremely good on the team side. We’ve just been fast.

"I’d say the whole season we’ve been fast. We just haven’t been able to get to the end in the lead. We’ve led a lot of laps this year. Finally, we led the right lap."

Like his former Haas F1 teammate Romain Grosjean who has also started afresh in America racing in IndyCar, Magnussen is enjoying his new life in the US.

After six years at the pinnacle of motorsport, the 28-year-old has closed the door on F1, although he admitted that one - unlikely - offer could entice him to return.

"If I had a Mercedes or a Red Bull I wouldn’t say no," Magnussen told AutoWeek. "I don’t think many racing drivers would, but that’s not going to happen.

"As I said before, I’m very, very happy with the opportunity that I had in Formula 1. Not many people get to have that many years in Formula 1.

"I’m super happy about that and I had some great experiences. Having said that, I feel fresh motivation, and I feel like it’s fun again."

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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.