Magnussen confirms withdrawal from Rolex 24

40

Kevin Magnussen has confirmed his withdrawal from next week's Rolex 24 at Daytona as the Dane is still mending his hand after undergoing surgery.

The Haas F1 driver was due to share an MDK Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3-R in the classic endurance event in Florida with his father Jan, bronze-rated driver Trenton Estepand and team owner Mark Kvamme.

But a visit to his physician at the start of the year to diagnose a sore wrist revealed a cyst that needed to be removed ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 season.

Read also: Steiner says Magnussen is now 'mentally stronger'

Magnussen gave an update on Thursday on social media, confirming that the surgery had gone well but that he had pulled out from the Rolex 24 on doctors orders.

"The hand surgery went fine, but I have been advised by the doctors not to drive at Daytona," he wrote. "Wishing everyone at MDK Motorsport a great weekend over there."

Magnussen will now focus on his preparations for winter testing that will kick off with three days of running in Bahrain on February 23-25, while the F1 season will also get underway at Sakhir on March 5.

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

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

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.