IMSA | Kevin Magnussen’s initial impressions after Roar Before The Rolex 24. The Roar Before The Rolex 24, effectively the start of the IMSA season, marked Kevin Magnussen’s return to endurance racing.

The Roar Before The Rolex 24, which along with the 24 Hours of Daytona kicks off the 2025 IMSA season, signaled Kevin Magnussen’s return to endurance racing. The Danish driver had already participated in endurance events earlier in his career, both in IMSA and the WEC. In IMSA, between 2021 (where he secured a win in Detroit) and 2022, he competed with the Cadillac DPi. In LMP2, he took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, also in 2021.

This year, alongside his development work for Haas in Formula 1, Kevin Magnussen experienced a Hypercar for the first time, specifically the BMW M Hybrid V8 LMDh. With this car, he will compete in both championships with the official BMW teams—Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in IMSA and Team WRT in the WEC.

The Roar Before The Rolex 24 served as an initial testing ground for Kevin Magnussen. The German GTP car showed promising lap times and even topped some sessions. Regardless of specific placements, for the Roskilde native, the focus was primarily on preparing for the race.

Goals and prospects
The complexity of this new challenge, especially with a category change, presents both a reason for caution and great satisfaction, driving increasingly ambitious goals.

Kevin Magnussen discussed these aspects directly with the IMSA portal, reflecting on his upcoming commitments and the season ahead, starting with Daytona.

Here’s what he said:
“As a kid, I came here often. I grew up with these races and always knew I wanted to be part of them. When you’re young, you watch your dad and want to do what he does. I think for many drivers, Formula 1 is the pinnacle, and it is for me as well. But I’ve definitely developed a stronger passion for sports car racing because I grew up with it.”

On the differences between F1 and endurance racing, he added:
“Endurance racing feels more pure. Sports car racing, in general, gives more passion to the spectators. In Formula 1, the competition level is so high that it can feel a bit cold in a sense. I came here and saw everyone smiling, excited for the race and everything else. It’s a different atmosphere, a different environment.”