▁Australian ▁Grand ▁Prix , ▁after ▁do ctors ▁ad vised ▁Al onso ▁to ▁not ▁race ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁conc uss ion ▁obtained ▁during ▁a ▁testing ▁incident ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁February . ▁However , ▁Magn ussen ▁failed ▁to ▁start ▁the ▁race ▁after ▁suffering ▁an ▁engine ▁failure ▁on ▁the ▁formation ▁lap . ▁ ▁On ▁ 5 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁he ▁received ▁an ▁e - mail ▁from ▁the ▁personal ▁assistant ▁of ▁Mc L aren ▁chairman , ▁Ron ▁Dennis , ▁re le asing ▁him ▁from ▁Mc L aren . ▁This ▁was ▁made ▁public ▁by ▁Mc L aren ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁October . ▁ ▁Ren ault ▁( 2 0 1 6 ) ▁ ▁After ▁being ▁released ▁by ▁Mc L aren , ▁Magn ussen ▁was ▁confirmed ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁in ▁discussion ▁to ▁drive ▁for ▁the ▁Ha as ▁F 1 ▁Team , ▁before ▁Rom ain ▁Gros je an ▁and ▁Est eb an ▁G uti ér rez ▁were ▁named ▁as ▁the ▁team ' s ▁drivers . ▁Magn ussen ▁had ▁reported ly ▁been ▁in ▁tal ks ▁about ▁a ▁seat ▁at ▁Man or ▁Racing ▁in ▁Formula ▁One ▁as ▁well . ▁Magn ussen ▁tested ▁a ▁Mer cedes ▁D TM ▁car , ▁and ▁Por sche ' s ▁L MP 1 ▁car , ▁hint ing ▁that ▁he ▁may ▁have ▁had ▁options ▁outside ▁Formula ▁One , ▁including ▁Ind y Car , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁believed ▁to ▁have ▁entered ▁tal ks ▁with ▁Bry an ▁H erta ▁Aut os port ▁about ▁a ▁drive . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1