Kevin Magnussen: The next Lewis Hamilton, or an overrated driver?

This year the Formula 1 races have been making headlines even before the drivers have hit the tarmac. With the new ‘silent’ engines and several drivers shuffled amongst teams, it was a memorable opening at Albert Park. But what was even more amazing was the scene of the young 21-year-old Formula 1 rookie, signed up to step into the boots of Lewis Hamilton, cruising past opponents in a McLaren-Mercedes car. Not only did he qualify 4th for the race, he even become the first Dane to take a podium finish.

Here is all you got to know about the golden boy of the Formula 1 2014 season.

McLaren driver Kevin Magnussen

Born in the province of Roskilde, the boy has speed running through his veins. He is the first child of the Danish Le Mans, NASCAR and Formula 1 racer Jan Magnussen. Having begun his racing career in karting at the age of 15, he raced in the Formula Ford series and had a record 11 wins from the 15 races in Denmark, after which he was found racing around Europe.

His performance in the Formula Renault series, better known as the launch-pad to F1, caught the eye of McLaren and he was inducted in the famous drivers’ academy which has produced legends. During the Young Driver’s Test 2012 at the famous Abu Dhabi circuit, he set the bar really high by getting top-notch timings, and proved himself worthy of a start in the big league.

With him having nothing else to prove in the junior versions of the game, McLaren was desperate to install him in Formula 1. However, when talks with Marussia failed to materialize, McLaren showed great faith in him by evicting Sergio Perez and placing Magnussen in the hot seat.

The faith was duly repaid by Magnussen at the Albert Park race circuit in Australia, where he avoided the crash at the start to maintain 3rd position and take podium. He was promoted to 2nd position after Daniel Ricciardo’s disqualification due to breach of fuel flow regulations.

Magnussen at the Malaysia Grand Prix

However, a fairy tale never quite unfolds as you expect it to be. Magnussen could only finish ninth in Malaysia, and he retired in Bahrain. And the very critics who had said McLaren had got its next Lewis Hamilton are already turning their faces away from him after a mere three races, calling him overrated.

Hamilton may have had nine successive podiums in his debut season, but it should also be noted that Magnussen is younger and is racing a whole new generation of F1 cars which many veterans in the field are finding tough to cope with. This is a launch-pad for the youngster who has everything to fight for, and it’s wrong to brush him and his achievement aside as a fluke.

Magnussen has been the best at his age at every lower division of F1, and is here to make it in the big-time game. He showed understanding and capabilities beyond his years during his time as an apprentice at McLaren, and he most certainly is a quick driver and a tough cookie to crack. But a lack of experience with the F1 intricacies might mean that this season will be a harsh but invaluable learning curve for the golden boy.

That said, the Dane surely has a lot of potential, and means some serious business.