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Former F1 stars join Novak Djokovic in Le Mans team takeover

Kerry Violet Sunday 10 August 2025 22:56

Kevin Magnussen and Daniel Ricciardo laugh together with microphones

Ex F1 stars Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen have joined tennis legend Novak Djokovic in the financial takeover of Le Mans FC.

Former Ferrari star Massa fell short of championship success during his stint in F1, famously losing out to Lewis Hamilton in the 2008 drivers' championship, when the British icon earned his maiden championship.

Magnussen previously drove for McLaren, Renault and finally Haas before the American F1 outfit opted for the brand new line-up of Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman for 2025.

Since leaving the pinnacle of motorsport last season, the 32-year-old has continued racing, competing as an endurance driver with BMW in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the World Endurance Championship.

Both Massa and Magnussen have now turned their attention to French football team Le Mans FC however, with an announcement via Instagram revealing: "Georgios Frangulis, founder and CEO of OAKBERRY, and Brazilian investment firm OutField are acquiring French Ligue 2 club Le Mans FC. They’ll be joined by tennis legend Novak Djokovic, along with F1 veterans Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen, as investors and advisors. ⁠ "Their vision: tap into the city’s deep motorsport heritage. Le Mans is home to the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as the Le Mans Classic and MotoGP. The new ownership group sees a rare opportunity to fuse soccer with one of the world’s most iconic racing cities - and build a club brand unlike any other in Europe.⁠

Tennis star Novak Djokovic previously attended the 2024 Qatar GP with McLaren

Le Mans looks to expand rich sporting culture

The city in northwestern France is situated on the Sarthe River and is most famous for being the home of the most iconic round of the World Endurance Championship (WEC), the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Back in June, Magnussen headed to the iconic home of endurance racing, but unfortunately his chance at excelling with BMW in the Hypercar class was sabotaged by cooling issues, which forced his team into the garage only two hours before the chequered flag was waved.

As a result, his BMW M Team WRT outfit now sits fifth in the Hypercar standings with just three rounds of the campaign to go.

Nevertheless, Magnussen's experience of racing and visiting Le Mans, and the fact his father Jan is a four-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, makes him an ideal candidate to help boost the status of Le Mans FC.

Magnussen, Massa and 24-time grand slam winner Djokovic all share vital experience of competing and succeeding in some of the world's toughest sporting series, with the trio's mental resilience all key to developing the French club and its reputation.