Kevin Magnussen has racked up plenty of firsts over the past 12 months - from clinching the Formula Renault 3.5 crown to making his Formula One debut, and scoring a Grand Prix podiumat his first attempt. But he can also recall some of the other milestones in his life, like his firstcrash and his first taste of champagne. Just don't ask him to cook...
Who was your first hero when you were a child?
Kevin Magnussen:Very clearly my dad [former F1 racer Jan Magnussen]. It was fantastic to have your idol in the family! (laughs)
What was the first Grand Prix youcan remember watching?
KM:That was Spa in 1997. I was there with my dad when he was racing for Stewart-Ford. To be so close to the action was a lifetime experience that in many ways moulded my career objective.
How old were you when you first decided you wanted to be an F1 driver?
KM:I really cannot remember what age I was, but when I think back I always wanted to be an F1 driver one day, no matter how distant that was looking at times. Probably it was in the family DNA!
When was your first big accident in a race car?
KM:It was in 2011, in the FormulaThree race in Macau. I hit the back of another car and took off at 270 km/h, did a back flip in the air, and literally flew into the catch fencing. I had a knee injury,but nothing serious.
What colour was your first helmet?
KM:It was in my dad's colours - black and yellow - because I usedhis old helmet.