Ex-F1 driver hurls swear word at rival in heated row after NASCAR debut

Ex-Formula 1 driver Kevin Magnussen was involved in a heated and sweary confrontation with a rival following his NASCAR Cup debut.

Magnussen, raced in F1 185 times with McLaren, Renault and Haas across two stints between 2014 and 2024, had an eventful debut in the NASCAR Cup on Sunday in San Diego.

The 33-year-old Dane had several clashes with Front Row Motorsports driver Noah Gragson, with the battle ultimately ending when Magnussen tagged the rear of his rival’s Ford, spinning Gragson into the wall.

Gragson was not impressed with Magnussen’s driving and waited for the no.91 Trackhouse Racing driver in the pit lane before confronting him once the race had ended.

The pair engaged in a heated exchange, with a furious Gragson saying to Magnussen: "What's your f****** problem. You guys come over here, you f****** drive off into the corner, just because you got fenders on it.”

Magnussen replied: "Get the f*** out of my face.”

The tense confrontation continued with the pair exchanging similar pleasantries, with Magnussen heard repeatedly telling Gragson to "f*** off" and to "get out of my face."

As the row escalated, Gragson asked: "Or what, what are you gonna do?”

Magnussen snapped back that his “problem is you in my face”.

Gragson responded: "You don't understand English, or what? I'm saying f*** off."

The argument was not settled but the pair eventually went their separate ways after some encouragement from a PR representative.

Magnussen finished the race 27th in the 39-car field but took the fastest lap in the process.

Magnussen competes full-time in the World Endurance Championship but his foray into NASCAR is part of a desire to try new forms of motorsport.

“NASCAR is one of the biggest forms of motorsport, so I don't think I ever thought it would be a possibility because I've been on that European Formula 1 track that is very different and isolated from the NASCAR world, so it's not often you get a chance to actually cross over,” Magnussen said ahead of his debut.

“It's almost like being a soccer player and then taking part in a field game, and I think that's what it feels like to me. It's still kind of similar. It's the same kind of sport, but a very different type of it. So, I think that's very, very exciting, and I'm just super privileged to get this opportunity to take part in the NASCAR race. It’s going to be a memory for life.”

Magnussen has followed in the footsteps of his father, Jan Magnussen, who also competed in a NASCAR Cup race in 2010 at Sonoma.