DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Only a year ago at this time, Kevin Magnussen was preparing to compete in the 2024 Formula 1 season. This month, the son of sports car legend Jan Magnussen begins a season in sports cars something he says he so genuinely looks forward to.

Magnussen will co-drive the No. 24 BMW M Team RLL Hybrid V8 competing in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class in next weeks Rolex 24 his third start in the historic twice-around-the-clock race and first since 2022. He will compete fulltime in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) as well and racing stateside in three IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup events at Daytona, Sebring and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

He fondly remembers coming to the IMSA races as a kid with his father, a four-time sports car champion who won nearly 50 races the experiences stocking a lifelong love of the sports car kind.

Magnussen, who spent a decade competing in F-1, said he is looking forward to the career transition and eager to improve on a pair of fifth-place finishes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season-opener at Daytona and his car was fastest in Fridays two-hour afternoon practice.

In 10 previous career IMSA starts, he has a victory from pole position at Detroits Belle Isle course in 2021.

I came here so much as a kid and grew up at these races in a way and always knew I wanted to be a part of that, said Magnussen, 32, who said this opportunity was absolutely where he wanted to transition. As a young boy you look up to your dad and want to do what he is doing. I guess for many drivers, Formula 1 is like the pinnacle which it is for me as well, but I certainly have an extra passion for sports car racing because I grew up with it.

Its more pure. sports car racing in general, I think people love what they do more than they do in Formula One because its so competitive [in F1] it can be kind of cold in a way. I arrived here and see everyone smiling and looking forward to the race and everything. Its a different vibe, different environment.