Magnificent Magnussen second in Aussie GP

Dane defies the expectations to make the podium in his first Formula One race

Kevin Magnussen has this morning rewritten Danish sporting history by finishing second in the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, the opening race of the Formula One calendar.

After making a brilliant start from fourth place on the grid to overtake Lewis Hamilton in pole position to take third, Magnussen didn’t look back, eventually finishing behind Nico Rosberg and Daniel Ricciardo, who was later disqualified. 

Team-mate Jenson Button was placed third, meaning McLaren already have a healthy lead in the constructors championship, while defending champ Sebastian Vettel and championship favourite Hamilton both failed to finish. 

"There has never been a Danish driver finishing on the podium in Formula 1 history,” remarked former driver David Coulthard, a co-commentator for BBC, as the Dane sped through lap 51 of the 57-lap race.

“I'm sure there are a lot of Danes eagerly watching on with Kevin Magnussen in third."

Denmark now has 19 points
That is putting it mildly. Not only had a Danish driver never made a podium before, the nation had only ever won one point!

Between them, Tom Belsø, Jac Nelleman, Nicolas Kiesa and Jan Magnussen, who is Kevin’s father, raced 33 times in Formula One.

Only one of them, Magnussen Snr, finished in the points – at the the 1998 Canadian Prix, his final race of 25.

Magnussen's 18-point haul for finishing second has therefore managed to octdectuple his country's total in one fell swoop. 

THIS STORY WAS UPDATED FOLLOWING THE DISQUALIFICATION OF RICCIARDO 

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