Interview with HAAS racing driver Kevin Magnussen by ledriviste

LEDRIVISTE: What is your approach to watchmaking? Are you passionate about the art of micromechanics?

KEVIN MAGNUSSEN: I believe the art of micromechanics is very interesting. As a race car driver, of course I work with a lot of mechanics and technology and I have learned over the years of working in this sport to appreciate mechanics.

The range of watches that Cyrus produces has excellent mechanics, well-finished, very precise, complicated but making its functions easy to use. I appreciate this type of mechanics. As a man, it is one of the jewels that makes me feel really good when I wear it.

LEDRIVISTE: Do you find a similar feeling between watches and cars?

KEVIN MAGNUSSEN: Just in terms of getting absolute precision. I don’t work on cars, I’m not a designer, but I appreciate precision. I expect precision from my car and so does my watch.

LEDRIVISTE: Cyrus has a very strong connection to the world of car racing.  What Cyrus has in common with this world is the constant search for innovative mechanics to achieve the best timekeeping performances of its watches. The same applies to racing cars, an excellent engine combined with the driver’s qualified expertise achieves the best results.  Having said that, I’d like to know if you share this thought and how do you live your experience with the Cyrus KLEPCYS DICE watch you wear (do you find it comfortable, is it easy to use thanks to the twin-crowns which activate the double chronograph function, does the double colour scheme help you in reading the two intervals of time?).

KEVIN MAGNUSSEN: The chronograph I wear is a good combination of style and functionality. For me it’s a very comfortable watch, the strap is very comfortable. It’s a kind of sporty watch, but at the same time very elegant and clean, so yeah, I really like it.

LEDRIVISTE: So, do you like the two crowns, is it easy to read the two intervals of time?

KEVIN MAGNUSSEN: It is very easy to use the timing: start, stop and reset. It’s very good. It’s easier for me to know what it is. But as a driver, it doesn’t really matter if I use it or not. It’s just the functionality of the device and what it represents. Time management is a central aspect of what I do. It’s thus nice to have this function on my watch.

LEDRIVISTE: The 2022 season is almost over, are you satisfied with the results and what would you like to be happening in 2023?

KEVIN MAGNUSSEN: I’m reasonably satisfied with the current year. Of course, it’s always difficult to be fully satisfied because there are always places where you can do better later on, but I think the team has taken a big step forward, which is really the most important thing. We’ve made big strides, we’ve made some great starts on the year and we’re really battling evenly with Mercedes and fighting for the top five spots. It feels really good to take a big step forward. And hopefully we can take another step forward next year, that’s certainly the goal.

LEDRIVISTE: Are you as passionate about watches as you are about cars ?

KEVIN MAGNUSSEN: Cars are my main passion, of course, but I see a lot of sensibility in watchmaking. I think my passion for motor sports and racing cars is the real driving force behind my passion for watches. I see similarities in the mechanics and in the aesthetics. For cars, performance is the most important part for the session, mechanics and technology. There is always an aesthetic aspect. A race car is not built to be beautiful, but it is fantastic. At the end of the day, it’s the functionality and performance of a car that makes it fantastic. I believe it’s the same thing with a watch. For my Cyrus watch there’s a reason for the open-worked dial. You can see through and into the mechanics of the watch, because that’s what’s really fantastic and fascinating.

Victor Jennes – Ledriviste