Rising star Kevin Magnussen received an early season boost from the McLaren Formula 1 team yesterday, when it was announced the 19-year-old is to take on additional challenges within the Woking squad’s Young driver Programme.
This year will see the Dane introduced to further preparatory work for the former world champions, including stints in McLaren’s F1 simulator under the supervision of Gary Paffett and Oliver Turvey.
Magnussen will also avail of engineering support sessions, before progressing to the MP4-27’s development programme. There will also be an opportunity for Magnussen to drive McLaren’s 2012 charger at the season ending Young Driver test.
Alongside his McLaren duties, Magnussen will be competing in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, although he will remain with Carlin Motorsport.
Magnussen joined McLaren’s Young Driver Programme in 2010 while in the German Formula 3 Series, before moving to the British Formula 3 Championship last year, where he finished runner-up to Felipe Nasr.
Kevin will be following in the footsteps of his father Jan, who was test driver for McLaren in the mid-90s, eventually competing in his sole Formula 1 event for the team at the 1995 Pacific Grand Prix.
