Magnussen likely sidelined from Rolex 24 due to injury

Kevin Magnussen was scheduled to race in the Rolex 24 at Daytona at the end of this month, but the Haas F1 Team driver's participation in the endurance event is now in doubt due to a hand injury.

Magnussen was set to team up at Daytona with his father Jan, bronze-rated driver Trenton Estepand and team owner Mark Kvamme at the wheel of the latter's MDK Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R.

But a sore wrist that encouraged Magnussen to visit his physician revealed an issue that required immediate attention for the Dane to be fit and well for the start of pre-season testing in Bahrain in the last week of February.

As excited as last year's Brazilian Grand Prix poleman was to share a race weekend with his father, Magnussen had no other choice but to give absolute priority to his preparations for the F1 season.

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"I had a sore wrist so I went to the doctor to have it looked at and they found a cyst that needs to be removed now so I can be ready for the F1 season," said the 30-year-old.

"It’s a harmless procedure, but I probably need to rest for a couple of weeks afterwards. I need to wait and see what the doctor says, but it’s unlikely that I can race at Daytona.

Formula 1 teams will kick off their 2023 preparations with a three-day test in Bahrain on 23-25 February, with the first race of the season taking place at the same venue on March 5.

Haas has yet to announce the presentation date for its VF-23 car that will be raced by Magnussen and new teammate and F1 veteran Nico Hulkenberg.

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