Since the NASCAR Next Gen car debuted in 2022, it has attracted the attention of a number of former F1 drivers. This weekend at Naval Base Coronado, Kevin Magnussen will be the latest to try to make the switch.
In 2022, NASCAR immediately saw the newly developed Next Gen car attract F1 talent. Daniil Kvyat made three starts with Team Hezeberg in the No. 26 Toyota, with a best finish of P36 at Watkins Glen. Of course, 2022 was also the debut of the Project 91 car from Trackhouse Racing, which Magnussen will drive this weekend at Coronado.
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2007 F1 champion, Kimi Raikkonen, made his Cup Series debut at Watkins Glen in the 91 car. His career best came at COTA in 2023 when he finished P29. Raikkonen had previously made two NASCAR starts in 2011 for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Nationwide and Truck Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
In 2023, Kimi was back to race at Circuit of the Americas. This time, Jenson Button, the 2009 F1 champion joined him. Button raced the No. 15 car for Rick Ware Racing with support from Stewart-Haas Racing at the time. Button raced three times that season, including at Chicago and the Indy Road Course. He finished a career high P16 in his debut.
It was also in 2023 where Kamui Kobayashi made his Cup Series debut. Regarded more for his endurance racing career than his time in F1, Kamui spent four years full-time in the series. A two-time winner in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Kobayashi came back in 2024 to race at COTA for a career-best finish of P29.
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Expectations for Kevin Magnussen
Kimi Raikkonen racing in the Project 91 car for Trackhouse Racing at COTA.(Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
There are a lot of factors that go into a race weekend. The final results rarely tell the whole story. Kevin Magnussen, based on the experience of these other one-off drivers with similar racing backgrounds, has a tough task ahead of him.
No one is expecting Magnussen to pull a Shane van Gisbergen and win in his debut. That isn’t a fair expectation to put on anyone. However, Magnussen is a very talented racer, both during his time in F1 and as an endurance racer. So, there is always the chance that he will perform well and be competitive. Maybe not contend for a win, but hovering around the top-10 would be a massive accomplishment.
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One thing many of the former F1 drivers realize quickly, the physicality is unlike anything they have experienced. NASCAR gets down and dirty on road and street courses, especially. It is the great equalizer between finesse and technique, and brute force and speed. He might not get that in his simulator practice runs.
Kevin Magnussen is going to have to get his elbows up and be prepared to get hit and to do a little hitting. Ask those other F1 drivers the second lesson they all learned? Stay away from Ricky Stenhouse Jr. He has somehow spun out all of these drivers with perhaps Kvyat being the exception.
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What are fair expectations for Magnussen in his debut? Complete all of the laps? Top-20? Trackhouse Racing has struggled with speed on the ovals, but they have a couple of secret weapons on the right turns in SVG and Connor Zilisch. With those two as teammates, perhaps Magnussen has a better chance to compete than he’s being given credit for.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the Racing section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
