Magnussen: In many ways, FIA WEC is tougher than F1
Following his FIA World Endurance Championship debut last month in Qatar, Kevin Magnussen says the competition in the series is ‘in many ways tougher than Formula 1’, as he sets his sights on the top step of the podium this year.
Magnussen might not be a newcomer to endurance racing as a discipline, but the Dane – a veteran of nine full seasons in F1 and 185 grand prix starts, including one podium finish – was a rookie in FIA WEC terms in the 2025 curtain-raiser. He did not let his lack of experience in the championship hold him back one iota.
Behind the wheel of BMW M Team WRT’s #15 Hypercar – which he shares with incumbents Dries Vanthoor and Raffaele Marciello – Magnussen ran confidently in third place during the early stages of the Qatar 1812km, artfully fending off challenges from Alpine’s Ferdinand Habsburg and Cadillac rival Earl Bamber.
A pit speed-limiter issue following a Full Course Yellow re-start and contact with an LMGT3 car subsequently cost the 32-year-old time, but the #15 crew battled back to fourth at the chequered flag, less than ten seconds shy of victory and ‘best-of-the-rest’ behind the all-conquering Ferraris.
Magnussen’s fastest lap all-but matched that of two-time world champion Kamui Kobayashi (TOYOTA GAZOO Racing), and was quicker than the best time posted by Robert Kubica in the second-place-finishing Ferrari.
As he looks ahead to the remainder of the campaign – beginning with next month’s 6 Hours of Imola (18-20 April), around a circuit where he qualified fourth in F1 three years ago – the Roskilde native is eager to build upon his promising start.
“A lot of things are similar (to F1), and some things are very different,” he mused. “Of course, sharing the car with other drivers means you need to work well with them, which is a big part of what I love about endurance racing – you really work together with your team-mates. It’s not like in Formula 1, where your team-mate is a fierce competitor. It’s a very different environment and atmosphere, but in a very positive way.
“The operational side here at BMW and Team WRT is of a very high level, so it’s not even a step down – it’s arguably a step up, I would say – and the Hypercar category is super-competitive right now, with so many manufacturers on the grid.
“This is a golden age for endurance racing and in many ways, the competition is tougher in FIA WEC than in Formula 1. It’s very tight and the Balance of Performance works well, which means we all have a shot.
“The field is full of very talented and experienced drivers – all the teams have superb line-ups – and it’s just a great place to be. We have high hopes for the season of fighting at the top, and of course, winning Le Mans is our ultimate goal. It’s a very exciting time to be involved.”
