Just when it seemed Kevin Magnussen had sampled nearly every corner of top-level motorsport, the former Formula 1 driver has found another challenge to add to his growing résumé.
The Dane will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut later this month, stepping into Trackhouse Racing’s famous Project 91 entry for the inaugural street race in San Diego on June 21.
It is the latest chapter in a career that has already spanned Formula 1, IndyCar, IMSA competition, Le Mans and Daytona – and now NASCAR’s stock-car spectacle.
The move raises an intriguing question: what happens when a driver known for his aggressive Formula 1 racecraft swaps sleek single-seaters and hypercars for a heavyweight NASCAR machine on a brand-new street circuit?
Magnussen will drive the No. 91 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing, joining a stable that includes NASCAR regulars Ross Chastain, Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch.
Project 91 was created to attract internationally renowned drivers into NASCAR, and it has already produced memorable moments.
Van Gisbergen stunned the racing world by winning on his Cup debut in Chicago in 2023 before eventually making the switch to NASCAR full-time. Former Formula 1 world champion Kimi Räikkönen and IndyCar legend Helio Castroneves have also taken part in the initiative.
©Trackhouse Racing
Now it is Magnussen’s turn.
For a driver who made 185 Formula 1 starts between 2014 and 2024, scored a podium on debut and claimed a memorable pole position for Haas in Brazil in 2022, the opportunity represents another chance to test himself in unfamiliar territory.
“I’m incredibly excited and honored to have the opportunity to compete in NASCAR,” said Magnussen.
“What Justin Marks and Trackhouse have done with PROJECT91 is unique. To provide drivers from outside of the NASCAR world with a chance to compete at this level. I’m proud to have this opportunity.”
Unlike many guest appearances from international stars, Magnussen is not arriving in San Diego cold.
The 32-year-old has already begun integrating himself into the Trackhouse operation, learning the procedures, meeting personnel and familiarizing himself with the unique demands of a NASCAR race weekend.
“I’ve already spent time with the team in North Carolina – meeting everyone, doing the seat fit, going through pit stop procedures and all the details that come with preparing for a NASCAR weekend,” he added.
“They’re an awesome group of people, incredibly dedicated, and just as excited about this debut as I am. I really can’t wait to get to San Diego and experience it all for the first time.”
That eagerness is perhaps unsurprising. Magnussen has spent the past few years proving he is far more than an F1 specialist.
Since leaving Formula 1, he has become a full-time competitor in the WEC with frontrunning BMW M Team WRT and recently finished second at Spa.
Yet NASCAR presents a completely different puzzle.
The cars are heavier, the racing is more physical, and the strategy often unfolds in ways unfamiliar to drivers coming from Europe’s traditional single-seater ladder.
That is precisely what makes this debut so fascinating. Magnussen has never been shy about embracing new challenges, and San Diego will provide one of the biggest unknowns of his career.
Whether he becomes the next Project 91 success story remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Kevin Magnussen’s motorsport passport is about to get another very interesting stamp.
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