Jan Magnussen this weekend returns to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the first time since 2012, seeking to replicate his win from 10 years ago.
The No. 3 Corvette racing pair of Magnussen and co-driver Antonio Garcia are looking for their first win of the 2018 season, and hoping it comes 10 years from Magnussen’s last victory at the central-Ohio course alongside Johnny O’Connell.
Garcia and Magnussen have teamed up at Mid-Ohio once before, in 2012 where they finished 13th, but it will be their first time visiting the classic American road course in the Corvette C7.R.
The duo is coming off a fightback to fourth place in Long Beach after a gearbox issue dropped them from leading the field after pitstops to the back of the pack on a restart. Teammates Tommy Milner and Oliver Gavin went on to carry the flag for Corvette Racing all the way to victory lane.
Gavin and Milner also won the last race Corvette Racing ran at Mid-Ohio in 2012, which, alongside Magnussen’s 2008 win and six other victories for the team, makes Corvette Racing the winningest IMSA entrant at the track.
The Danish/Spanish driver lineup will be tapping into every ounce of that experience when the series returns to take their shot at victory.
Magnussen additionally won the race overall in 2001 alongside David Brabham in a Panoz and set the fastest lap with Corvette Racing in the 2007 race.
Jan Magnussen Q&A
Q: What are you thoughts leading into Mid-Ohio after luck wasn’t on your side at Long Beach?
A: “A slice of luck would be nice after the Long Beach weekend. In the race the car was a little stronger than we expected and we were running at the front when it came time for that all-important Long Beach pit stop.
“As usual, the Corvette Racing guys did a brilliant job and got Antonio back out in the lead.
“However, we ended up with a box of neutrals on the restart and dropped back through the field.
“The good news is Corvette Racing won the race — the bad news for Antonio and myself — it was the wrong car.
“We’ll keep fighting hard and hopefully turn it around at Mid-Ohio.”
Q: With Mid-Ohio replacing COTA on the calendar this year, are you ready to be back at a real old-school American road course?
A: “I’m looking forward to heading back to Mid-Ohio next week for Corvette Racing. It’s a great track and getting into a rhythm is really important – especially through the section after the back straight. Each corner flows into the next, so if you get the first bit wrong, you can really lose a bit of time through there.
“There is also not a huge amount of run-off either — a bit of a contrast to the track that Mid-Ohio replaced on the calendar, Circuit of The Americas.
“Antonio and I had some great luck at COTA in the past. Hopefully, we can have the same at the same corresponding round.”
Q: You last raced at Mid-Ohio five years ago, but you haven’t won there in 10, is it time to take the No. 3 Corvette to the top step at that track?
A: “It has been five years since we last raced there and I have a bit of unfinished business at the track.
“I’ve had a couple of wins here including an overall win back in 2001 with David Brabham in the Panoz and GT1 triumph for Corvette Racing with Johnny O’Connell in 2008.
“I’ve had a couple of runner-up finishes since then, but luck has never really been on my side.
“This weekend will also be important as its the final race before we head to Le Mans.”
Q: It was also announced that when the team does head back to Le Mans that you’ll be bringing Mike Rockenfeller with you. Are you and Antonio pleased about that?
A: “I’m really looking forward to Le Mans this year, especially with the news we’ll have Mike Rockenfeller on board with Antonio and I this year.
“Rocky has done an amazing job with us at Daytona, Sebring and Road Atlanta in the past and having his experience in France is going to be great.
“He has won the race overall so he certainly knows his way around there and all three of us would love to add another win to our race records.”
Source. Paul Ryan Media
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