Steiner trying to open U.S. doors for Magnussen amid IMSA talks

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says he has been trying to help Kevin Magnussen find a drive in the United States, following talks with Chip Ganassi Racing’s IMSA project.

RACER understands Magnussen has spoken to Chip Ganassi about joining the team’s line-up for its new Cadillac entry in IMSA next year, but such a seat would require him to move to the U.S. The Dane is also attracting interest from IndyCar teams but needs to bring a budget that he doesn’t have, and Steiner said he has been trying to lean on his own connections in America where possible.

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“Kevin is, at a personal level, a friend,” Steiner said. “I haven’t spoken to him yet [this weekend]; I saw him at the airport because he came from another flight, so I don’t know the latest developments for next year. But for sure he was looking to the U.S. I have quite good connections there, I spoke to a few people, but I honestly don’t know what is the status for him next year as we speak. I’ll catch up with him later on, but at the moment I don’t know.”

Despite a report that he has already signed for Ganassi, Magnussen insisted he is yet to finalize his future, but admitted that IndyCar is still looking unlikely despite Marcus Ericsson suggesting that his aggressive driving style would suit the series.

“I still haven’t committed to anything so there’s not too much to say on that point,” Magnussen said. “Hopefully soon I can announce what I’m doing.

“IndyCar is certainly something that I’ve always found really cool. An aggressive driving style... I don’t know if I have an aggressive driving style -- maybe in terms of racing other people, but driving technique as such, I don’t know if it is aggressive. I try to be balanced! Certainly IndyCar is something that is very cool and I have a lot of passion for, but I don’t think it’s likely that I’ll be doing IndyCar next year.”