Outgoing Haas F1 driver Kevin Magnussen has signed a deal with Chip Ganassi Racing to compete in the 2021 IMSA WeatherTech Championship where is expected to race alongside Scott Dixon at a handful of endurance events..
Magnussen was left without a drive on the F1 grid for 2021 when he was dropped by Haas earlier this year after four seasons with the American squad.
The Dane had been linked to potential F1 test roles and a possible IndyCar drive. However, today it was revealed that Magnussen would be making a move to sportscar racing where he will help lead Chip Ganassi Racing’s return to the IMSA Series.
CGR had a one-year hiatus from IMSA after the conclusion of its Ford GT programme in 2019. Next year, the Indianapolis-based team will field a Cadillac DPi-V.R. car in the series’ top category.
Magnussen will partner Renger van der Zande for the full calendar season. Six-time IndyCar champion Dixon is expected to join the duo at the longer endurance races, namely the Rolex Daytona 24 Hour.
“If you are in professional racing anywhere in the world, you know the name Chip Ganassi and what it represents in motorsports,” said Magnussen.
“Chip has built one of the best racing organization’s on and off the track, and you can look back in history and see the tremendous record of success, especially as it relates to sports car racing. It’s a great opportunity for myself to team up with CGR, Renger and Cadillac.”
Van der Zande was one of the three drivers let go by Wayne Taylor Racing at the end of the 2020 IMSA series after he, Ryan Briscoe and Dixon delivered a standout season which included three wins together.
But the Dutchman is excited to for his new challenge at CGR where he will reunite with his Kiwi co-driver.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have raced and won with Scott [Dixon] in sports cars, and I think he embodies what the whole Chip Ganassi Racing organization is all about.
“It’s a first-class operation and the team knows how to win the big races. One of the things that stood out to me was hearing that as a former driver, Chip always wanted to create and build a team that he would want to drive for. He has certainly done that, and those results speak for themselves across many series around the world.”
Chip Ganassi will announce its line-up for the season-opening Daytona 24 Hour in January, including the presence of Dixon, over the coming weeks.