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Kevin Magnussen says he has apologised to Pierre Gasly “many times” over their Azerbaijan Formula 1 clash, while clarifying remarks suggesting he is willing to “die” in a racing car.
Gasly accused Magnussen of being the “most dangerous” racer he had competed against following a high-speed incident after the final safety car restart in Baku.
Video footage of the incident later released by Formula 1 showed Gasly and Magnussen touched on the exit on the final right-hand kink as the Haas driver moved over – before a near miss further down the main straight.
Magnussen made the comment about being willing to put his life on the line in an interview with the Reuters news agency published last Friday, ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
“I don’t like compromises. I will give everything,” he was quoted as saying. “I will die in the car. I won’t hold back.”
But in response to the those comments being linked what happened in the Baku race, Magnussen said in a post on Twitter that he was sorry for the Gasly incident.
“The interview was done before the race in Baku and is not minded on the incident with Pierre in the race,” said Magnussen.
“I didn’t squeeze Pierre on purpose and have apologised to him many times over the incident.
“I don’t want to die in a race car. I was expressing my willingness to give absolutely everything in my power to achieve success.
“Success to me obviously isn’t having accidents or getting penalties but finishing races in as high a position as possible.”
Magnussen added that he was so committed in F1 because he was so determined to succeed.
“I am living my childhood dream of racing in Formula 1 and I’ve put my whole life into achieving that dream,” he said.
“It is only natural for me to be giving absolutely everything I’ve got, to achieve success in racing and the day I no longer do that I will retire from racing immediately.”