Kevin Magnussen says he enjoys Formula 1 a lot more now than he did when he was younger, owing to a change in perspective over his goals in life.

The Danish driver made his return to the grid in 2022 after a year away, following the last-minute exit of Nikita Mazepin from Haas after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

He quickly got up to speed, though, and went on to have a strong year for the team, earning himself a new contract in the process and also securing his first-ever pole position in F1, which came in Brazil in the closing stages of the campaign.

In the last year or so, he's also become a father and all of these factors appear to have contributed to a positive Magnussen, with him saying himself he is the happiest he has been in the sport now more than ever.

Explaining why, he revealed that a shift in mindset is the key reason behind that:

“The biggest pressure is my own expectation. Ever since I was a little child, I’ve thought of life as being all about Formula 1 and getting to the top of the sport. I thought being a Formula 1 world champion is the ultimate thing you can achieve in life, which I’ve now realised is not the case.

“That took some of that pressure away, and that’s been a really positive thing. Now I actually enjoy Formula 1 a lot more.

“When I was in that old mindset, it always just felt very scary to be around here because of all that pressure from myself. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to achieve happiness if I didn’t get success in the sport, which of course is a very heavy pressure.

kevin magnussen at the italian gp

MONZA, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 08: Kevin Magnussen of Denmark and Haas F1 attends the drivers press conference during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo Nazionale Monza on September 08, 2022 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

“And then there’s all the pressure from everyone. This sport is a very tough competition in many ways.

“So I think for me, it’s actually been a positive. I heard a lot of people joke that oh, it costs a tenth or two when you become a dad, but it’s certainly not the case. I think it’s the other way around.

“There’s not this big weight on my shoulders in the same way. Of course you still have great expectations to myself, and big ambitions, but it’s just different. It’s all OK, that kind of thing. I’m happy.”

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