Magnussen 'opens door' to unlikely F1 lifeline

Kevin Magnussen believes the "door is open" to an unlikely F1 lifeline with Stake continuing to delay its 2025 driver announcement. 

New Sauber/Audi Mattia Binotto is currently biding his time as to who will join Nico Hulkenberg on the grid for next season when the team will continue to run under the Stake banner ahead of its transition into a works team for 2026.

Alongside current incumbent Valtteri Bottas, the likes of Mick Schumacher, Williams racer Franco Colapinto and F2 title contender Gabriel Bortoleto are understood to be in the running. 

Outside of the Red Bull ecosystem of seats, the Stake drive is the sole remaining vacancy on the 2025 grid.

Magnussen is set to leave F1 at the end of the season after Haas elected to sign Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon to replace the Dane and Stake-bound Hulkenberg, but admitted there was a slim possibility of an unexpected lifeline at the Hinwil-based team.

"I mean on paper, the door is open," Magnussen told media including RacingNews365. 

"So you never know in the sport. I've learned that you can't ever know for sure what is going to happen."

Magnussen was also asked about a potential switch to IndyCar, having raced for McLaren in 2021 at Road America as the replacement for the injured Felix Rosenqvist. 

"I don't really have anything planned for next year," he said. 

'We've talked about doing something together here [at Haas], but of course, that is not going to be racing. 

"So who knows what is going to happen?"