FIVE FACTS:

From indoors to the big outdoors: “We all had the same passion for racing, we started when we were quite young doing indoor karting and outdoor karting. My brother got some nice results in karting, although he didn’t continue, he put some fire in me because you always want to compete against your brother. I was about eight years old when we started and had to drive with the slower karts, the kids karts, but I didn’t like that. I didn’t have the height to go to the bigger karts but finally, after some discussions with the indoor karting people, they let me in the big karts and I remember the speed was magnificent. This was the moment when I thought I want to grow in the sport and do this all my life. They were only going 50 but it felt like 300kph.”

A force in Formula 4: Graduating to outdoor karting aged 11 as the 2010 Belgian Indoor Karting champion, Magnus switched to circuit racing in 2016 and entered the French Formula 4 Championship. He took a podium treble during his second weekend on the Pau street circuit and won at Le Mans, all new tracks which he was able to master thanks to his ability to “adapt real quick to new situations”.

Fast and brave: Magnus was equally successful in Formula Renault 2.0 NEC in 2017, when he demonstrated a tremendous resilience during the Spa-Francorchamps round. After crashing at Raidillon at nearly 200kph in the first race following contact with a rival, Magnus was unconscious for two minutes, badly bruised and nursing a break in his upper leg. Mindful the title would be lost if he couldn’t race the next day, Magnus fought through the pain barrier, while his mechanics worked through the night to build up a new chassis. Heroically he won to keep his title dream alive up until the Hockenheim finale, only to lose out by two points following a tough season-closer with an older, uncompetitive chassis.

Big win: Magnus was one of 500 applicants for the RACB National Team touring car scholarship for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Le Mans 24 Hours legend Tom Kristensen was a member of the jury that picked Magnus ahead of four other finalists.

Did you know? Following a strong TCR Europe season in 2019, Magnus was called up to represent Belgium in the Touring Car Cup event that formed part of the FIA Motorsport Games. He won the silver medal courtesy of a win and a third-place finish.

CAREER SO FAR: 

2012: 3, Belgian Rotax Max Mini Championship; 3, Belgian X30 Junior Karting Championship

2013: 5, European X30 Junior Karting Championship

2014: 2, World X30 Junior Karting Championship

2015: 2, European X30 Junior Karting Championship

2016: French F4 Championship (1 win)

2017: 2 (2 wins), Formula Renault 2.0 NEC; 1, Zolder 24 Hours

2018: 1, Belcar Endurance Championship; 1, GT4 Sprint Cup Europe

2019: 6 (1 win), TCR Europe; 3 (1 win), TCR Benelux