Kevin Magnussen is just two penalty points away from a Formula 1 race ban, having picked up five across the Miami Grand Prix weekend for numerous offences.
The Dane rekindled his defensive tactics from Jeddah during Saturday’s Sprint, playing a Haas team game whilst simultaneously giving a chasing Lewis Hamilton a headache.
Magnussen picked up three penalty points and 35 seconds worth of time penalties for gaining an advantage off-track and other indiscretions whilst fighting with Hamilton.
The Haas driver said his Saturday penalties were “well-deserved” but admitted that he “had to play the game again” and employ “stupid tactics, which I don’t like doing.”
The stewards cleared him on unsporting conduct on Saturday, but not everyone saw it this way.
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella called Magnussen’s driving “completely unacceptable” and called not only for a review of the points system but for “unsporting” drivers to sit out a race.
Stella might get his wish soon as after a clash with Logan Sargeant during the Miami GP, the stewards gave the following verdict.
“Per the Driving Standards Guidelines, in order for car No. 20 to be given room for an overtaking attempt on the outside, car No. 20 needed to have the front axle at least alongside the front axle of the other car at the apex of Turn 2.
“It was clear that car No. 20 did not have its front axle in that position such that it was entitled to room in that corner. Further, if this is looked at purely as an overtaking on the inside of Turn 3, car No. 20 would also not have had the right to the corner, by the standards for an inside overtake.
“Even if this was viewed as a sequence of corners or a chicane, the decision remains the same. Per the guidelines, priority will be given to the first corner and if you do not have the right to be given room, then you do not get the benefit for the next corner.”
A 10-second time penalty and an additional two penalty points bring Magnussen to a tally of 10 on his FIA Super License, after picking up five across the Saudi and China rounds thanks to clashes with Yuki Tsunoda.
If a driver reaches 12 penalty points within 12 months, the sporting regulations deem the driver must miss out on the next round of competition.
The points aren’t written off until 12 months after the first incident meaning Magnussen will have to keep his nose clean until 9 March 2025 and any further discretion will more than likely give him the required two points to earn a race ban.
That means Haas Reserves Ollie Bearman and Pietro Fittipaldi will need to be on standby to fill the team’s driving roster in Magnussen’s absence.
Speaking after the race, an exasperated Magnussen wasn’t keen to comment on his latest penalty and its implications.
“I better not [say],” the Dane told media when asked to give his verdict.
Then when it was mentioned he was clearly unhappy he said, “No.
“Better not comment,” came his response when asked if the penalty was incorrect.
“You’re right,” was his reply when it was claimed he wouldn’t want to comment on Stella’s words.
Magnussen also sought for more clarification on the penalty system, but one more indiscretion will give him a weekend off to contemplate it.
Given that Hass has deployed him as a moving roadblock on two occasions to guarantee points for Nico Hulkenberg, you could put good money on the same happening again.
Three strikes and you’re out.
Nothing against safe and fair racing, but it seems to me that the sport is more and more getting decided by rule chewers who have never driven a race car. And I feel that decisions are increasingly being made on the basis of antipathy and sympathy…