F1 driver blames Lewis Hamilton for being fired

Kevin Magnussen has lifted the lid on what he calls a “crazy” and “disrespectful” target set during his 2014 rookie season at McLaren: match Lewis Hamilton’s qualifying margin over Jenson Button or risk being dropped.



A decade later the Dane argues the directive skewed expectations and hastened his departure.



The Podium Debut That Sparked Pressure



Magnussen stunned observers by finishing second in Melbourne 2014 after Daniel Ricciardo’s disqualification. Instead of easing a newcomer in, McLaren chiefs Jonathan Neale and Éric Boullier demanded he replicate Hamilton’s historical 0.15-second average edge over Button. “I accepted it at the time but, looking back, it was unfair,” Magnussen now says.







Why the Goal Was Unrealistic



Hamilton entered F1 as a generational talent and had multiple seasons mastering the team, while Magnussen faced brand-new power-unit regulations and limited testing. Requiring a rookie to outperform a world champion by an identical gap ignored nuances of experience, car evolution and psychological load.



Ripple Effects on a Career



When Fernando Alonso arrived in 2015, Magnussen was relegated to reserve status, then exited the programme entirely after one substitute outing in Australia that year. He later rebuilt with Renault, scored Haas’s first pole in 2022 Brazil and now races sports cars, but believes earlier support could have altered his F1 trajectory.



Wider Debate on Driver Development



Magnussen’s comments revive scrutiny of talent pipelines that measure youngsters against legends rather than personalised growth curves.




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Teams risk burning prospects by equating potential with immediate parity against title-winners.



Lessons Learned



The Dane stresses he harbours no bitterness toward Button or Hamilton. Instead he uses the story to caution young drivers about setting self-worth solely through team metrics. “Lewis and Jenson were both F1 world champions, far more experienced than I was,” he notes.



A Story Resonating Today



With academies accelerating prodigies like Kimi Antonelli, Magnussen’s tale feels timely. It underscores the fine line between ambitious goal-setting and damaging comparisons that ignore context.
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