Prior to confirming Jordan Taylor for 2020, Corvette Racing announced the end of Jan Magnussen’s tenure with the team.

“The Great Dane” was a hallmark of Corvette Racing’s GT Le Mans program for 16 seasons, from 2004 through 2019.

Magnussen won 35 races with the team in that time frame and four championships. He was a regular winner at all key endurance races too, at Daytona, Sebring and Le Mans.

“I’m fortunate to have had such a long career with Corvette Racing,” Magnussen said in a team release issued last month.

“When I joined the program in 2004, I never thought this would be my home for the next 16 years. The team is like my second family. I’m very proud of the championships and race wins we achieved together against very tough competition.

“Thanks to everyone at Corvette Racing for the good times and memories.”

Until this year, Magnussen and Antonio Garcia set the standard for excellence within GTLM. They won three titles together, including back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. The pair captured the 2018 title despite not winning a race, which owed in large part to their consistency and perennial podium presence.

Magnussen’s sign-off blog, written for Motorsport.com, is linked here.

It remains to be seen whether he’ll be part of the IMSA grid in 2020. Alas, he does have one 2020 program confirmed. Sportscar365 reports he’ll race in the TCR Denmark series next year.

THERE WAS LIFE BEFORE CORVETTE, TOO

Magnussen’s run with Michelin in sports car racing predates his successful Corvette Racing tenure.

After his open-wheel career came to an end in 1999 after several years split between Formula 1 and Indy car, Magnussen raced with Panoz and Michelin for several seasons.

That included both Panoz’s GTR-1 coupe (pictured above in a 2018 demonstration lap at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta) and open-top LMP1 Roadster. Magnussen and David Brabham claimed a memorable overall victory with Panoz in 2002 on the streets of Washington, D.C.

Magnussen’s GT racing introduction came a year later in 2003 with Prodrive’s Ferrari 550 Maranello. He remained active in prototype racing racing an Audi R8 in Europe.